LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 
T7SS3f~ 

Chap. Copyright No. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



JO avorite Scripture I exts 
of Jbamous leople 



INCLUDING INTERESTING FACTS 
AND INCIDENTS CONCERNING 
TEXTS, WITH BRIEF ACCOUNTS 
OF FAMOUS BIBLES. ::::::::: 




BT 

FREDERICK BARTON 



Isaiah 55, 11 



F. M. Bajrto;x, pxtbusttbr. 

CLEVELAND, OHIO NEW YORK, N. Y. 

ASSOCIATION PLACE 1031 TEMPLE PLACE 

COPYRIGHTED I9CO 



V- 



79996 

Library of Concf reaa 

Two Copies Received 
NOV 24 1900 

Copyright entry 

SECOND COPY 

Delivered to 
ORDEH DIVISION 

DEC 15 1900 



**$ 




-feumlTnrua lrae:q a 
phapio>atmctaxfy> fi* 
, trm.^pbateiainfi&s: 

lv v 'fy&ps & *j* gluftno eoptaratqm non vafttaa ret 
^ ^*v$^ fannttaris.^iionpniia tantutajpom-fioti 
ISrJ^^rfC fcbdolaa palpas adulaco:§ to t-m102.ee 
-*r^M?^ t>mmau.(cnptura^iludia octliat.lcgnf 
■^j^W^i'. wyctcnte biftonjaquofda tuihafle ^p»T^ 
^^^&» oae-nouo* adtjffefpfo&^iiaiiariifirfemt 
^M^/ :^ cos quo* ex libnenoueiatJCCttanKpvite^ 
Ckk^l^^ 1Tn^^tcp»ta(fo^asmettlpb^tieo0vat5f* 
^Mf^Jl fc P^tacgiptu a arcbita taretittttii*ea!it* 

cjrctia 



^^ atbfmsmagtiWetatapotirscmufqj to* 
*. dnnas acbate nric gtgna&a pfbnabati t» 
ficr pegrhms atq* tnfctpfeimates afcena 
; vererittotrifcet^cp Jtia impitimr mgei*- 
bemm Vum Iras quafi toto o*fe fiigtetitef 
pfcqrcaptv&apimttsct venudatuerp; 
rano cmdrfsninio panuttmchis eaptmuT 
vtiichisafetui*s;tant qtpbilofopbuKttta* 
ioj eroemsfcfiitt* Ad tptuimu£lacko do - 




Facsimile of the first pege of the Maimer Bible, published in 
(For translation and explanation see next page.) 



Translation of the first page of the introduction to the Mainzer Bible, printed in 
1462; the portion of the introduction being one of the epistles of St. Jerome 
introductory to a translation of some of the Scriptures by himself. 



"Here begins the epistle of St. Jerome to the elder Paulinus re= 
garding all the books of sacred history. 

"Chapter First.— Brother Ambrosius, in conveying to me your pres= 
ents, brought at the same time a most delightful letter, which bore 
assurance of the faithfulness of a long friendship, new evidence of 
loyalty already proved and of an old intimacy, jfor tbat is a true bono 
of intimacy anb one baseb on tbc love of Christ, wbtcb is formeb not tbroucjb 
considerations of worlblp. sain, nor tbrougb mere bobilv. association, nor 
tbrougb flattery, crafty anb caressing, but tbrougb tbe fear of (Sob anb stubs 
of tbe Ibolv. Scriptures. 

"We read in the old histories that certain men traversed distant 
regions, visited unknown peoples and crossed seas for the purpose of 
seeing in person those whom they had known from books. So Pytha= 
goras saw the Egyptian seers, so Plato saw Egypt and Archytas of 
Tarentum, and with the greatest labor traversed that coast of Italy, 
which formerly was called Magna Gra?cia, so that he who at Athens 
was a teacher and a man of power, and whose doctrines the colleges 
of the Academic sect proclaimed, became an alien and a pupil, pre= 
ferring to learn humbly the teachings of another than boldly to obtrude 
his own. Finally, while seeking to verify the references of a Iitera= 
ture, which, as it were, embraced the whole earth in its extent, he 
was captured by pirates and having been sold was in bondage to a 
tyrant of the greatest cruelty, and though taken captive, bound and a 
slave, nevertheless the philosopher was greater than the man who 
bought him. * % % >]<. %. " 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I 

Pages 

Miscellaneous texts of famous people — Bible in litera- 
ture— Conky Stiles 17-37 

CHAPTER II 

Genesis to Joshua— favorite texts in the Pentateuch 37-44 

CHAPTER III 
Joshua to Job — Favorite texts in Historical books 44-48 

-CHAPTER IV 

Job — Favorite texts in the philosophic drama of the 

Bible 48-54 

CHAPTER V 

Psalms — Favorite texts in the great poetical book 54-62 

The Twenty-Third Psalm 58-62 

CHAPTER VI 
Psalms— Continued .62-76 

CHAPTER VII 

Proverbs and Ecclesiastes — Favorite texts from minor 

Poetical books 76-83 

3 



4 CONTENTS 

CHAPTER VIII 

Pages 

Isaiah and other prophets to Malachi inclusive 83-96 

Isaiah 83-93 

Other prophets 93-96 

CHAPTER IX 
Matthew— Sermon on the Mount .97-109 

CHAPTER X 
Matthew— Continued 109-118 

CHAPTER XI 
Mark 118-125 

CHAPTER XII 

Luke 125-141 

Golden Rule 125-128 

CHAPTER XIII 

John 141-151 

The Bible in twenty-five words, John 3: 16 145-151 

CHAPTER XIV 
John — Continued 151-172 

CHAPTER XV 
Acts 172-176 

CHAPTER XVI 
Paul's letters— Romans 176-187 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER XVII 

Pages 

Paul's letters— I and II Corinthians 187-198 

I Corinthians 13 — Charity or Love 187-191 

II Corinthians 193-198 

CHAPTER XVIII 
Paul's letters — Galatians to Thessalonians 198-206 

CHAPTER XIX 
I and II Thessalonians to Revelations inclusive 206-224 



CHAPTER XX 

One hundred Bible texts and one hundred greatest 

chapters , 224-233 



CHAPTER XXI 
Famous Bibles and stories of Bibles 233-245 

CHAPTER XXII 

Great men's opinion of the Bible 245-257 

Addendum 257-259 



INDEXES. 

Alphabetical list of names of persons responding, or 

who are quoted 260-264 

General index 265-268 

Scriptural index, according to Books of the Bible 269-272 

Chromatic frontispiece to Old Testament face Title. 

Chromatic frontispiece to New Testament see p. 97 




The 107 Languages and Dialects into which the whole Bible has been 
translated. (From the Reporter of the Eritish and Foreign Bible 
Society which has published no less than 85 of the versions.) 

In addition, the New Testament has been translated into 101 
languages or dialects, and portions of the Bible into 192 more, 
making a grand total of 400. 



SIGNATURES 

OF SOME EIGHTY OF THE 400 OR MORE WHO REPLIED, I,ACK 
OF SPACE PREVENTING USE OF OTHERS. 



Bishop. 




Poet Laureate. 



Hebrew Novelist. 



Electrician. 



Ambassador. 



Chief Rabbi. 




General U. S. A. 



English Editor. 




n 



t 



General U. S. A. 





-*t- 



Traveler and Explorer. 



^yi^^t^y-^^^ J!<z£^ t#?6* 



(/Presidential Nominee. 



Missionary. 



English Editor. 



Evangelist. ' 




General British Army. 



"Man with Hoe." 7 



SIGNATURES 



ft?m%&. <£v. g. &£. 

Famous Divine. ^ — Boston Divine. 

Russian Cotfi4t. "The Workers." 

Poet. C 



Poet. China Inland Mission. 



Temperance Orator. 




Chinese Ambassador. 



Pansy." Author. 



\. W. C. T. U. Commander v/s. N. . 



"Pansy." 

\. W. C. T. U. 

Poet. 

Maj. Gen. U. S. i 



Poet. "Reveries of a Bachelor." 

Maj. Gen. U. S. A. Composer. 




Poet. / Admiral U. S. N. 



American Red Cross. British Poet. 



SIGNATURES 9 

Missionary Secretary. Humorist. 

Bishop. Rear Admiral U. S. N. 

J Author. \ jtf Governor Indiana. 

Author. Hymn Writer. / 

G. A. R. Sunday School Times. 

" Gov. Alaska. // Rear Admiral U. S. N. 

Dramatic Critic. * I Bishop. 



Gen. U. S. A. St. Paul's Cathedral. 

Bishop. V / ' 

^-^ ^^ Merchant. 

} Brier Bush." 






Chaplain U. S. Senate. 



Caaj^JL^} hi . ^kxlcti 



"In His Steps." 



10 SIGNATURES 



Theologian. Ex-President Hawaii. 




Bishop. ^ Divine. 

Author. Tremont Temple. 

Secretary U. S. C. E. 
Author. German Theologian. 





University President. Lecturer. 



Founder Y. M. C. A. Chief of U. S. Engineers. 

Professor. Catholic Dignitary. 

Author. Author. 

Professor. "Spiritual Life." 



^rofessor. 



AUTOGRAPHS 



11 



OF FAMOUS ENGLISH AUTHORS, MANY OF WHOM ARK QUOTED IN...THE 
FOLLOWING PAGES, OTHERS BEING INCLUDED AS CURIOSITIES. 

Reproduced from reliable sources. 




£m' yrijcn . 




6c/u<r (ft/*/ z?/s/M '<?k^J 











12 



AUTOGRAPHS 







<r> 







SiidimiuMimm 




(Bwffrcp <£l|*tnm\ 

^Q^n Ungate, 



^aM^**£& v s^" 1 *'* Zfopef. 



j3* 



»*X 







PREFACE. 



This volume is a development considerably beyond the 
expectation of the author, or compiler. For some time my 
faith has been growing in the use of texts of scripture for 
maintaining and creating interest in the Kingdom of Heaven 
on earth, or as Prof. Bosworth calls it, "the brotherhood of 
an endless life." During the past five years I have published 
the Gospel of John under the title of Good News by John, 
without verse division or anything to distinguish it as part of 
the Bible. Some 30,000 have been published. Recently the 
gospel of Mark was published under the title of Jesus the 
Toiler, both being sold for one cent each. The editions would 
have been much greater, but even giving 33 1-3 per cent, dis- 
count on the list price to dealers did not warrant them in put- 
ting them in stock. It is hoped that the American Bible So- 
ciety or American Tract Society will take up the work of 
publishing all the gospels at one cent each, as both societies 
have the organization necessary for publishing them by the 
million. 

The first thought in connection with this work was to 
take the thirty best known or favorite chapters of the Bible 
and publish them in the same style as Good News by John 
or Jesus the Toiler. Then came the thought that instead of 
taking the favorite chapters or texts of those eminent in the 
church or in Christian work, that a wealth of incident and ma- 
terial could be obtained by extending the inquiry to those 
famous or eminent in all the different callings — statesmen, 
authors, editors, poets, lawyers, doctors, army and navy offi- 
cers — not known particularly in religious work. The result 

13 



14 PREFACE 

has exceeded my expectations — having resulted in all that I 
had hoped in making inquiries of those known as particularly- 
religious, and more than that, produced a commentary as 
to the value of scripture texts on the heart and mind and daily 
life of persons in all capacities. 

An added value, or rather a more definite or effective 
meaning, is thus given to scripture. As an instance, an army 
officer commenting on — "For what shall it profit a man if he 
shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul" — says that 
it was particularly impressed upon his mind by the suicide of 
a wealthy and successful friend, and also by seeing the piles of 
dead and wounded on the battlefields. It shows that God's 
word applies not only to church and Sunday Schools, but 
to life and even to the battlefield. A general says that 
"Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any 
people," which is inscribed over the altar in the chapel at 
West Point, has followed him through a busy life. Two naval 
officers measure their lives and daily actions according to the 
Golden Rule. A well-known poet says: "Nothing ever gave 
me the intellectual and spiritual impulse and help which came 
to me from the Word." The fact that scripture texts are so 
interwoven in the daily life of so many persons known as 
eminent for one thing or another, will certainly give it an 
added value, if that were possible, in the minds of those who 
read the Bible, and it is hoped that the information and inter- 
esting facts will be used in creating an interest in the minds 
of the young in the greatest book in the world. In one of 
the early chapters of the book the custom of committing texts 
in Sabbath School is taken up. One of the purposes of the 
book is to revive the custom, if it needs reviving. Such an 
eminent authority as H. Clay Trumbull, editor of the Sun- 
day School Times, claims that the custom is not dying out. 

A reduced facsimile of the letter which brought the re- 



PREFACE 15 

sponses included in this volume, and which was sent to some 
two thousand persons throughout the world, appears on the 
next page. As new editions will be issued from time to time, 
the readers of the book may consider the letter addressed 
to them, providing there is any incident of value connected 
with the choice of their favorite text. 

In choosing the title I was not unmindful of I Corinthians 
1 : 26 — "Not many wise men, not many mighty," etc. — but 
to those who would remind me of that I would say, that the 
text allows for some wise and some mighty and that an ex- 
amination of the index will show as fair a proportion of them 
among the responses as one could expect. 

As to works consulted in securing favorite or texts that 
influence the lives of those in the past, I wish to acknowledge 
particularly Pattison's History of the English Bible, a very 
interesting work; Gray's Biblical Encyclopedia and Museum; 
Lives of Church Leaders; Hymns that have Helped; Last 
Words of Distinguished Men and Women; and to such peri- 
odicals as the Youth's Companion, Current Anecdotes, bound 
volumes of Cut Gems, etc. 

But chiefly I wish to thank with sincere heartiness the 
help of those who, though in all cases are busy men and 
women, took time and care to respond to the request. 

Trusting that the book will not only create interest in the 
Word of God, but show how it is interwoven in the daily 
life of those who bear no small part of the large responsibili- 
ties of the world. I am sincerely, 

FREDERICK BARTON. 



r«tDEPtCK Ba*to* 

*SSOC»ATtO»» Placi 

CCtVCUANO.OHIO.OS.A 



Dear Sir Thursday 

Of "all the means used to mafce the 
world better, none le so powerful 
and yet so quiet and far-reaching ae 
the Knowledge of texts from God's 
word. 

The oust on of committing texts 
or chapters to memory is disappear- 
ing. Will you not assist in creat- 
ing a renewed interest in special 
texts or chapters of the Bible by 
writing me (with your own signature 
if you please) what is your favorite 
text or chapter. 

Should you be sufficiently in- 
terested in my effort to add any 
incident that may nave been connect- 
ed with your choioe it would be 
very gracious In you and greatly 
appreciated by 

Yours very respeot fully 

P 8 Should you favor my request, I 
snciose a stamped envelope but 
if not, the envelope does not 
imply an obligation. 



16 



CHAPTER I. 

THE BIBLE IN LITERATURE— IN HEARTS AND 
MINDS— 'CONKY STILES"— AND MISCELLANE- 
OUS TEXTS OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 

It has been said that if by any means copies of the manu- 
scripts of the gospels had been totally destroyed that con- 
siderable portions of them might have been reproduced from 
the writings of the Christian fathers. And today if the Bi- 
bles were to be destroyed and every bit of paper having any 
connected portions of the Book were to be searched out and 
burned, it could be almost if not altogether reproduced from 
commentaries, expositions, sermons, etc. But even without 
these, a large part of it could be found quoted here and there 
in secular and ordinary literature. Shakespeare would prove 
a fruitful source in refurnishing the book, for he refers to it 
often, and in some places, as when Clarence says: "Re- 
demption through Christ's dear blood, shed for our grievous 
sin," practically quotes it. (Ephesians 1: 7.) Pattison says in 
his History of the English Bible that hundreds and probably 
thousands of verses from the Bible could be found in the 
novels of Scott, and in fact a book has been written on the 
Bible in Waverly. One has also been written on Shakespeare 
and the Bible, and another on the Theology of the Great 
Poets. Charles Dickens said he got his style of writing from 
the New Testament. The story of Samuel's childhood is re- 
peated in Thackeray's Vanity Fair, and Milton seldom went 
outside of the Bible for his subjects. Examine Cowper and 
Addison. Jeremiah is the thought in Byron's Darkness, Job 
is found in Thanatopsis, and Paul on the resurrection of the 

17 



18 FAVORITE TEXTS 

dead is in Wordsworth's Ode to Immortality. As mentioned 
more fully in later pages, we find Tennyson, Carlyle, Ruskin, 
Stevenson, Tolstoy, and many other writers acknowledging 
their debt to the Bible. So it is seen that considerable por- 
tions of the Bible could be gleaned from English literature, 
while its influence and teachings permeate it. To destroy the 
printed teachings of the Bible it would be necessary to wipe 
out English and all other civilized literature. 

Suppose, however, that Satan working through some na- 
tion, like the Chinese for instance, should succeed in sweeping 
the earth with fire and sword, should accomplish the work of 
destroying the printed literature of the world. After they 
had gone on their way, would it be possible to rebuild the 
Book from the minds and hearts of those who loved it? Is 
there a sufficient hiding of it in heart, and memorizing of it 
in mind today to reproduce the Book? It is understood cer- 
tainly that this could not happen, for nineteen hundred years 
ago a certain one sitting on a mountain side said to a few 
friends, that heaven and earth should pass away, but that 
his words should not pass away. But suppose that the Bible 
was destroyed and a great proclamation would be sent out re- 
questing and commanding every one who knew verses or 
chapters to send them to a committee, not of revision, but 
of reproduction. For this would be worthy of the efforts of a 
nation and its ruler. Were not the entire efforts of a con- 
siderably number of the British nation and even her rulers 
engaged in reproducing this great work in English? The 
mails would be flooded, and some could send even whole 
books carefully written out from memory. The hours for 
Sunday School would be given to securing texts and in- 
stead of preaching from a little of it, ministers would be giv- 
ing their efforts during the hours of worship to getting from 
those in the pews all the scripture they knew. What a cal- 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 19 

amity it would be, and what a rejoicing when the Book was 
repeated and joined together, and what a scramble to get a 
copy. Newspapers would be full of it, that is if the presses 
of the world found it profitable to print anything but the new 
Bible for years after it had been reconstructed. And yet what 
good does the Word of God accomplish printed on leaves 
which are never opened or turned? After all, it is only the 
scripture that gets into the heart and works out into the life, 
that accomplishes anything. 

I believe that in this reconstruction of the Bible that 
the Sunday School scholars of twenty and forty and sixty 
years ago would furnish more texts than those of today, for it 
seems to me that one rarely finds scholars repeating a text 
every Sunday morning, as it was the custom not long since. 
H. Clay Trumbull of the Sunday School Times, John Wana- 
maker, superintendent of the largest Sunday School in the 
United States, and A. C. Dixon, leading Baptist divine of 
Brooklyn, N. Y., all took occasion to disagree with the state- 
ment that the custom was disappearing, and it would be diffi- 
cult to find three greater authorities in Sunday School work. 
But the consensus of opinion expressed was, however, to the 
contrary. 

The Gustom was so prevalent thirty and forty years ago 
that it made its impression even in humorous literature, where 
it might be expected least likely to occur. Like most humor, it 
was exaggerated. One example of this humor — Eugene 
Field's sketch of Conky Stiles — deserves to be preserved. It 
originally appeared in the Chicago Record, with which he 
was connected, and it is safe to say the author committed 
more than one text to memory when a Sunda}^ School scholar. 
CONKY STILES. 

As near as I could find out, nobody ever knew how 
Conky Stiles came to know as much of the Bible as he did. 



20 FAVORITE TEXTS 

Thirty years ago people as a class were much better ac- 
quainted with the Bible than folks are nowadays, and there 
wasn't another one of 'em in the whole Connecticut Val- 
ley, from the Canada line to the Sound, that could stand up 
'longside of Conky Stiles and quote scripture. Well, he knew 
the whole thing by heart, from Genesis, chapter 1, to the amen 
at the end of the Revelation of St. John the Divine; that's the 
whole business in a nutshell! 

His name wasn't Conky; we called him Conky for short. 
His real name was Silas Stiles, but one time at a Sunday 
School convention Mr. Hubbell, the minister, spoke of him 
as a "veritable concordance of Holy Scriptures," and so we 
boys undertook to call him Concordance, but bimeby that 
name got whittled down to Conky, and Conky stuck to him all 
the rest of his life. 

When Conky was eight years old he got the prize at our 
Sunday School for having committed to memory the most 
Bible verses in the year, and that same spring he got up and 
recited every line of Acts of Apostles without having to be 
prompted once. By the time he was twelve years old he 
knew the whole Bible by heart, and most of the hymn book, 
too, although, as I have said, the Bible was his specialty. 

Conky was always hearty and cheery; we all felt good 
when he was around. We never minded the way he had of 
quotin' things from the Bible; we'd got used to it, and maybe 
it was a desirable influence. At any rate we all liked Conky. 

But perhaps you don't understand what I mean when I re- 
fer to his way of quotin' the Bible. It was like this: Conky, 
we'll say, would be goin' down the road, and I'd come out of 
the house and holler: "Hello, there, Conky! where be you 
goin'?" 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 2i 

Then he'd say: "John 21:3."- That would be all he'd 
say, and that would be enough; for it gave us to understand 
that he was goin' a-fishin'. Conky never made a mistake; his 
quotations were always right. 

The habit grew on him as he got older. Associating with 
Conky for fifteen or twenty minutes wasn't much different 
from readin' the Bible for a couple of days, except that there 
wasn't any manual labor about it. I guess he'd have been a 
minister if the war hadn't come along and spoiled it all. 

In the fall of 1862 there was a war meetin' in the town 
hall, and Elijah Cutler made a speech urgin' the men folks to 
come forward and contribute their services — their lives, if 
need be — to the cause of freedom and right. We were all 
keyed up with excitement, for next to Wendell Phillips and 
Henry Ward Beecher, I guess Elijah Cutler was the greatest 
orator that ever lived. While we were shiverin' and waitin' 
for somebody to lead off, Conky Stiles rose up and says: "I 
Kings 19: 20," says he, and with that he put on his hat and 
walked out of the meetin'. 

"Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, 
and then I will follow thee." 

That's what Conky said, or as good as said, and that's 
what he meant, too. 

Ke didn't put off his religion when he put on his uni- 
form. Conky Stiles, soldier or civilian, was always a livin' 
walkin' encyclopedy of the Bible, a human compendium of 
psalms and proverbs and texts; and I had that confidence in 
him that I'd have bet he wrote the Bible himself if I hadn't 
known better and to the contrary! 

We were with McClellan a long spell. There was a heap 
of sickness among the boys, for we weren't used to the cli- 
mate, and most of us pined for the comforts of home. Look- 
in' back over the thirty years that lie between this time and 



22 FAVORITE TEXTS 

that, I see one figure loomin' up, calm and bright and beauti- 
ful, in the midst of fever and surrerin' and privation and 
death; I see a homely, earnest face, radiant with sympathy 
and love and hope, and I hear Conky Stiles' voice again 
speaking comfort and cheer to all about him. We all loved 
him; he stood next to Mr. Lincoln and Gen. McClellan in the 
hearts of everybody in the regiment! 

They sent a committee down from our town one Thanks- 
giving time, to bring a lot of good things, and to see how 
soon we were going to capture Richmond. Mr. Hubbell, the 
minister, was one of them. Deacon Cooley was another. 
There was talk at one time that Conky had a soft spot in his 
heart for the deacon's eldest girl, Tryphena, but I always 
allowed that he paid as much attention to the other daughter, 
Tryphosa, as he did to her elder sister, and I guess he hadn't 
any more hankerin' for one than he had for the other, for 
when the committee came to go home, Conky says to Deacon 
Cooley: "Well, good-bye, deacon," says he, "Romans 
16:12." 

The histories don't say anything about the skirmish we 
had with the rebels at Churchill's bridge, along in May of 
'64, but we boys who were there remember it as the toughest 
fight in all our experience. They were just desperate, the 
rebels were, and — well, we were mighty glad that the night 
came, for a soldier can retreat in the dark with fewer chances 
of interruption. Out of our company of 150, only sixty were 
left. You can judge from that of what the fighting was at 
Churchill's bridge. When they called the roll in camp next 
day, Conky Stiles wasn't there. 

Had we left him dead at the bridge, or was he wounded, 
dying the more awful death of hunger, thirst and neglect? 

One said: "Let's go back for Conky!" 

A detachment of cavalry went out to reconnoiter. Only 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 23 

the ruins of the preceding day remained where we boys had 
stood and stood and stood — only to be repulsed at last. Blue- 
coats and graycoats lay side by side and over against one an- 
other in the reconciling peace of death. Occasionally a 
maimed body, containing just a remnant of life, was found, 
and one of these crippled bodies was what was left of Conky. 

When the surgeon saw the minie hole here in his thigh, 
and the sabre gash here in his temple, he shook his head, and 
we knew what that meant. 

We heard Conky' s voice once, and only once again. For 
when, just at the last, he opened his eyes and saw that we 
were there, he smiled, feeble like, and the grace of the Book 
triumphed once more within him, and he says — it seemed al- 
most like a whisper, he spoke so low: "Good-bye, boys, 
II Timothy 4: 7." 

And then, though his light went out, the sublime truth of 
his last words shone from his white, peaceful face: 

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I 
have kept the faith!" 

Mark Twain in his Life on the Mississippi, giving his 
boyhood reminiscences, tells of a boy called "Dutchy," who 
was drowned. The Sunday before, "Dutchy" made himself the 
envy of all the other boys by reciting three thousand verses of 
scripture without missing a word. The night after he was 
drowned there came up an awful storm, which was regarded 
as providential displeasure over "Dutchy" because a similar 
storm had occurred after the drowning of a very bad boy a 
few weeks before. The humorist concluded that if a boy who 
knew three thousand verses by heart was not satisfactory, 
what chance was there for anybody else? 

Certainly no one will accuse Newell Dwight Hillis of 



24 FAVORITE TEXTS 

narrowness, but he makes the following plea for the custom 
of committing 1 Bible texts to memory: 

"The moral strength and sturdmess of the men who once 
officered our churches was not gained by chance, did not 
come unasked, did not stay unurged. Rising up early the 
parents trained the child to commit to memory, not simply 
a golden text, but whole chapters of the Bible; not to read 
a lesson leaf, but a book bearing on the theme. The college 
professors and presidents, the statesmen and preachers,, the 
men who have molded society during the past generation, 
received in their puritan homes, patient, thorough, and long- 
continued Bible instruction. Daniel Webster tells us that his 
standard of oratorical excellence was derived from such pas- 
sages as the eighth psalm and the fortieth chapter of Isaiah. 
Carlyle tells us that he owed everything to a thorough mas- 
tery of about a hundred chapters of the Bible. Ruskin insists 
that whatever skill in thought or diction he possessed was 
traceable to the fact that his mother made him commit to 
memory whole chapters of the New Testament, and many 
chapters of David, Moses and Isaiah. Even Huxley in his 
plea for a study of the Bible, finds the explanation of the 
lessening number of great men, in the lessened interest in 
these great religious themes that feed greatness and heroism 
in the human heart." 

Some of the comments on the scriptures contained in the 
replies are so rich in thought and diction that they will no 
doubt become classics, or at least be very generally quoted, 
and that is really what makes the classic of today. The story 
by Mrs. Alden (Pansy) will prove as interesting to her thou- 
sands of readers as any she ever wrote. 

ISABELLA MACDONALD ALDEN, (Pansy), author 
of over one hundred Sunday School books, her works having 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 25 

been translated into French, Swedish, Japanese and Ar- 
menian; contributor to a number of religious periodicals: 

"As often as the question of my favorite Bible verse 
comes up, my mind travels backward to a certain stormy 
evening in the sixties, and I seem to hear again my own 
voice penetrating the silence and reciting: 

" 'Thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and 
he that formed thee, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed 
thee; I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine.' (Isaiah 
41:3.) My husband was pastor of the largest church in 
the western New York town, and was trying to introduce 
the custom of having the ladies take part familiarly in the 
mid-week prayer meeting. It was a stormy evening and not 
many were present at the meeting, but among them was my 
father who had come to make us a visit. There was a lull 
in the exercises, and I knew that my husband looked to me 
for help; but Satan had been arguing with me for some 
time. 

" 'Here sits your blessed father/ he said, 'a gentleman 
of the old school; he has never been accustomed to the voice 
of women in church; it will seem out of place to him, will 
shock his sense of propriety and spoil his visit; there are 
times enough for you to help this idea of your husband's along 
without disturbing your father; tonight you really ought to 
be silent.' 

"There was an under-tone that said: 'You talked it all 
over with the minister, and agreed with him, and promised 
to help at every opportunity; now you are sitting silent, and 
deserting him.' 

"Then came another tone — whose I cannot tell. It 
seemed to me that a voice in my ear repeated the text I 
have quoted and said: 'Repeat it for me; never mind what 
will be thought about it, do it for me.' I obeyed the voice, 



26 FAVORITE TEXTS 

pressing the words into the painful stillness until it seemed 
to me that the echoes took them up and re-said them. 

"Not a word said my father to me about the verse or 
the meeting. The next day he went home. My feeling was 
that I had grieved him, but that he was too kind to refer 
to it. Two years afterwards I sat one night near midnight 
beside my father's sick bed. A few days afterwards he went 
away to heaven, and it chanced that I had my last little visit 
alone with him that night. A silence had fallen between us. 
I thought he slept and was very still. Suddenly he began 
with a clear, distinct voice to recite my verse: 'Thus saith 
the Lord that created thee.' 

" 'Do you remember that?' he asked with one of his 
tender smiles. 'I heard it first in the prayer meeting that 
evening when I visited you. I searched in my Bible for it, 
and felt at first it was not there; the words seemed so new 
and fresh to me, that I could not think my own Bible had held 
them all the years; but I found them. Since that many 
a night have I lain here unable to sleep, and repeated my 
verse over and over, getting such rest from it as no sleep 
can give. 'Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, I have called 
thee by thy name, thou art mine!' 

"His voice swelled into triumph over that last word, and 
I could not speak for the happy tears that came at the 
thought that I had helped to rest my father. Those words are 
graven on the granite that marks his body's waiting place, 
and they are graven on my heart: T have called thee by thy 
name, thou art MINE!' " 



ROBERT J. BURDETTE, the sunny-hearted humorist 
and author, has given expression, that for beauty and elo- 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 27 

quence has never been equaled, as to the comfort to be de- 
rived from the scripture. He said: 

"But my favorite text? — when I was seventeen or nine- 
teen years old, I could have given it as glibly as a child recites 
the 'table of fives.' But that was thirty-six years ago; and 
since then my experiences have multiplied. When I think of a 
'favorite text,' half a dozen dear ones at once leap to my lips; 
'as thy days so shall thy strength be.' 

"Stormy days I want a cloak; cold days I want the sunny 
side of a wall; hot days, I want a shady path; now I want a 
shower of manna; now I want a drink of cool living water; 
now I want an arbor of rest; now I want a pilgrim's staff; now 
I want a sword — 'a right Jerusalem blade.' My 'favorite text!' 
I might as well try to tell which is my favorite eye. The one 
I might have to lose is the one I want." 



0£/faA> J tfUctatx, 



DEAN FARRAR (F. W.), dean of Canterbury, 1895- 
1901, author of a number of valuable works, the most impor- 
tant of which is his Life of Christ: 

"An invaluable text for the young: 'Keep innocency and 
take heed to the thing that is right for that shall bring a 
man peace at the last.' 

"An invaluable prayer: 'Teach me to do the things which 
pleaseth thee, for thou art my God; let thy Holy Spirit lead 
me into the path of righteousness.' " 

W. S. SCHLEY, rear admiral U. S. Navy, in immediate 
command at the destruction of Cervera's fleet off Santiago, 
July 3, 1898, and prominent in the United States Navy since 
1861: 

- "Under varying circumstances and at different times, dif- 



28 FAVORITE TEXTS 

ferent parts of the good book give us help and consolation. It 
is so full of beautiful sentiment and deep thought that my ad- 
miration and respect for it in its entirety are profound." 



EDWARD EVERETT HALE, author and eminent Bos- 
ton divine, editor, etc.; author of In His Name, Ten Times 
One Are Ten, etc.: 

"Writing as I receive your note, I should give you these 
four texts: 

Matthew 22:37, 39. 

Deuteronomy 4: 29. 

Philippians 3: 13. 

Galatians 6: 2. 

BENJAMIN HARRISON, ex-president of the United 
States: 

"I think the old practice of committing the scriptures to 
memory was a most valuable help to the young, and would be' 
glad to see it revived in Sunday Schools." 

JAMES A. MOUNT, governor of Indiana, 1897-1901: 
"In the whir of business and demands of society, besides 
the many fascinations that attract the attention of the young, 
the Bible is not as carefully studied as it should be. A close 
perusal of the Bible would better qualify us for the duties and 
responsibilities of life, and would be a safeguard against the 
many temptations that assail us." 



Q^u^Hu^^- 



SYLVESTER F. SCOVEL, president of University of 
Wooster, 1883-1890: 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 29 

"Out of life's perplexities, I look always to the assurance 
of Romans 8: 28: 'All things work together for good to them 
that love God.' For service, I love best that word of Christ, 
'My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.' For difficulties, I 
like the trumpet call to young Timothy, 'Endure hardness as 
a good soldier of Jesus Christ.' For a glimpse into the future 
life, I repeat most frequently, the first verses of John 14, which 
have comforted so many trustful ones through the valley and 
shadow of death. 

"Thus I find I have not any favorite text since I am not the 
same I in my need of enlightenment or direction." 

T. S. McPHEETERS, one of the leading business men 
of St. Louis, and descended from the Scotch Covenanters. He 
is said to have rescued from police court one who is now one 
of the leading pastors in the east. He replied: 

" "Philippians 3: 3 is my hope of salvation. John 1:3, 14 
is my assurance of salvation. Isaiah 6 my preparation for 
service. Psalms 49 the folly of materialism." 

WM. R. NEWELL, assistant -superintendent of the 
Moody Bible Institute: 

"I think that different texts of scripture are one's fa- 
vorite texts at different periods in his Christian life. Romans 
10: 9, 10 brought me to Christ, and are very dear to me; John 
6: 37 recovered me from a time of awful temptation and dark- 
ness; Mark 11:24 has brought me into a life of faith before 
unknown; Psalm 25:3, R. V., 'None that wait on thee shall 
be ashamed,' is at present being very much brought home to 
my heart by the Holy Spirit, and in accordance with it I am 
waiting on God, with many others, for the coming of a great 
revival in the near future." 



30 FAVORITE TEXTS 

D. CROAL THOMSON, art critic and editor of Art 
Journal, and has examined most of public and private art col- 
lections in the world: 

"As a Scot, I was brought up on the Bible and the Short- 
er Catechism, and at one time prided myself on the lip-knowl- 
edge thereof. 

"Now I would say my favorite texts are those I found 
written in my wife's little Bible. 

"They have often comforted me when far from home, for 
my wife's old Bible is on my list of necessary things to be 
taken when traveling. Isaiah 41:10; Isaiah 43:2; Psalms 
37: 4, 5; Isaiah 26: 3, 4; II Chronicles 15: 7; Jeremiah 31: 16 
(Begin Refrain to Lord); Psalms 84:2." 

C. W. LEFFINGWELL, founder and rector St. Mary's 
School (1868), and editor of The Living Church for twenty 
years: 

"I gladly comply with your request in a recent letter to 
send you the special texts which are most dear to me. They 
are known in the Episcopal liturgy as the 'Comfortable words.' 
They are read from the altar whenever the Holy Communion 
is celebrated. I have often used them at the bedside of the 
dying, and I hope they may be the last which I hear on earth. 
I copy them from the Prayer Book version, which is older 
than the King James' version in ordinary use, and slightly dif- 
ferent: 

Then shall the priest say: Hear what comfortable words 
our Saviour Christ saith unto all who truly turn to him: 

"Come unto me, all ye that travail and are heavy laden, 
and I will refresh you." St. Matthew 11:28. 

"So God loved the world, that he gave his only be- 
gotten Son, to the end that all that believe in him should not 
perish, but have everlasting life." St. John 3: 16. 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 31 

Hear also what St. Paul saith: 

"This is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be re- 
ceived, That Christ Jesus came into the world to save sin- 
ners." I Timothy 1: 15. 

Hear also what St. John saith: 

"If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, 
Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our 
sins." I John 2:1, 2. 

HOWARD OSGOOD, educator, professor of Hebrew 
in Crozer Theological Seminary, 1868-1874, and the same 
chair in Rochester Theological Seminary, 1875-1900; and 
member American committee of revision of the Old Testa- 
ment: 

"One of my beloved texts is: 'Faithful is the saying and 
worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the 
world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.' I Timothy 1 : 15. 

"I most fully believe in committing parts of the Bible 
to heart, and while I have striven to do that, I have for forty 
years urged upon all my students (for the ministry) that they 
should make it their chief business to become, by reading 
over and over, and over, and over, the whole Bible in Eng- 
lish, and to commit large parts of it to memory. If one be- 
gins slowly and accurately — say a verse a day — a year would 
fasten on his mind forever the Epistles to the Galatians and 
Ephesians. 

"If men really were familiar with the words of the New 
Testament we should hear less of the difficulties with the old — 
or both together must be rejected." 



32 FAVORITE TEXTS 

HEZEKIAH BUTTERWORTH, editor of Youth's 
Companion for twenty-five years, and author of Zig-Zag 
Journeys, etc.: 

"My favorite passage of Scripture is: 'Commit thy way 
unto the Lord; trust also in him, and he will bring it to pass.' 
My, favorite chapter is Psalm 23. One of my favorite hymns 
grows out of this Psalm: 'Still, still with thee,' etc. My favor- 
ite poem is the book of Job. My proof text as to religion is: 
'If any man wills to do his will he shall know' — (literal). The 
most sublime declarations of Christ: 'I have power to lay 
down my life and to take it up again.' Plato, Buddha nor 
Mohammed would have said this. 'All power is given me.' " 

DAVID C. COOK, publisher of the Young People's 
Weekly, the undenominational Sunday School paper: 

"In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct 
thy paths." (Proverbs 3: 6.) 

JOHN RUSKIN, who needs no designation, once wrote: 
"I opened my oldest Bible just now * * * yellow now 
with age, and flexible, but not unclean with much use, except 
that the lower corners of the pages at chapter 7 of the First 
Book of Kings, and chapter 8 of Deuteronomy, are worn 
somewhat thin and dark, the learning of these two chapters 
having caused me much pains. My mother's list of chapters 
with which, learned every syllable accurately, she established 
my soul in life, has just fallen out of it, as follows: Exodus 15 
and 20; II Samuel 1, verse 17 to end; I Kings 8; Psalms 23, 32, 
90, 91, 103, 112, 119, 139; Proverbs 2, 3, 8, 12; Isaiah 58; Mat^ 
thew 5, 6, 7; Acts 26; I Corinthians 13, 15; James 4; Revelation 
5, 6. And truly, though I have picked up the elements of a 
little further knowledge I count this very confidently the most 
precious, and, on the whole, the one essential part of my edu- 
cation. For the chapters became indeed strictly conclusive 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 33 

and protective to me in all modes of thought, and the body of 
divinity they contain, acceptable through all fear or doubt; nor 
through any fear or doubt, or fault, have I ever lost my loyal- 
ty to them, nor betrayed the first command in the one I was 
made to repeat oftenest, 'Let not mercy and truth forsake 
thee.' " 

CHARLES HADDON SPURGEON, the greatest of 
modern pulpit orators, said of the Bible: 

"The Bible is the writing of the living God. Each letter 
was penned with an Almighty finger, each word in it dropped 
from the everlasting lips; each sentence was dictated by the 
Holy Spirit. Albeit that Moses was employed to write the 
histories with his fiery pen, God guided that pen. It may be 
that David touched his harp, and let sweet psalms of melody 
drop froiia his fingers, but God moved his hands over the liv- 
ing strings of his golden harp. Solomon sang canticles of 
love, and gave forth words of consummate wisdom, but God 
directed his lips, and made the preacher eloquent. If I follow 
the thundering Nahum, when the horses plough the waters; or 
Habakkuk, when he sees the tents of Cushan in affliction; if I 
read Malachi, when the earth is burning like an oven; if I 
turn to the smooth page of John, who tells of love; or the 
rugged chapters of Peter, who speaks of fire devouring God's 
enemies; if I turn aside to Jude, who launches forth ana- 
themas upon the foes of God, everywhere I find God speak- 
ing; it is God's voice, not man's; the words are God's words; 
the words of the Eternal, the Invisible, the Almighty, the Je- 
hovah of ages. This Bible is God's Bible; and when I see it 
I seem to hear a voice springing up from it, saying, 'I am the 
book of God; study my page, for I was penned by God; love 
me, for he is my author, and you will see him visible and 
manifest everywhere.' " 



34 FAVORITE TEXTS 

JOSEPH PARKER, the prince of London preachers: 
"Looking back upon all the chequered way, I have to tes- 
tify that the only preaching which has done me good is the 
preaching of a Saviour who bore my sin in his own body on 
the tree; and the only preaching by which God has enabled 
me to do good to others is the preaching in which I have 
held up my Saviour, not as a sublime example, but as the 
Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world." 

SAMUEL SLOAN, the great railway magnate, said: 
"I know of no better guide for the young man who wants 
to steer clear of failure than the Bible. The good old Book 
has lost none of its helpfulness in the on-rolling of centuries, 
and is today the best chart extant for the youthful voyager 
ori life's stormy sea. It is the custom of some men to sneer 
at the teachings of Holy Writ, but they are not the men who 
have attained the greatest heights in either business or society. 
Let a young man study the wisdom of the Bible, and acquaint 
himself with its naked, strenuous truth, and he can not go 
far wrong in his every-day life.'' 

LORD ROSEBERRY, in his great address on Cromwell, 
quoted with striking effect several verses from the Prayer 
Book version of the one hundred and forty-ninth Psalm, 
which, he said, more closely reproduced the Christianity, the 
ideas and the spirit of Cromwell than the sixty-eighth Psalm, 
which is usually said to have been Cromwell's favorite. 

VERY REV. DAVID HOWELL, dean of St. David's 
(South Wales, 1897-1901): 

"I concur in every word you say as to the vital import- 
ance of encouraging of committing texts to memory. Texts 
requested: I Timothy 1: 15; I John 2: 1, 2; I John 4: 10; Ro- 
mans 5: 1." 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 35 

MR. CONGER, United States Minister to China, and 
besieged for so long by the Boxers and Chinese soldiers in 
Pekin during the summer of 1900, said at a missionary gather- 
ing: 

"I have no patience with pessimism. I hope for the early, 
and firmly believe in the ultimate success of missions. They 
are a part of God's plans for the world. God's plans must 
succeed; his word will prevail." 

Wishing to give a token of special value to his first grand- 
child, D. L. Moody sent a beautiful copy of the Bible, with 
this inscription: 

"The Bible for the last forty years has been the dearest 
thing on earth to me, and now I give a copy as my first gift 
to my first grandchild, Irene Moody, with a prayer that it 
may be her companion through life, and guide her to those 
mansions that Christ has gone to prepare for those who love 
and serve him on earth. "" -^ -r tv/tqqtw " 

—From "The Life of Dwight L. Moody." 

On Grover Cleveland's writing table, in Princeton, N. J., 
lies a black enameled Bible, that has an interesting history. 

At the top of the cover, in a little space surrounded by an 
ornamental border, is inscribed in gilt the name, "S. G. Cleve- 
land," and upon the fly-leaf there is a line or two of writing- 
in a neat, precise feminine hand, from which we learn that the 
book was a gift to "My son, Stephen Grover Cleveland, from 
his Loving Mother." 

Colonel Lamont says that he first saw this Bible on the 
table in Mr. Cleveland's law office in Buffalo, and other 
friends remember having seen it there. 

President Jefferson left behind him a proof of unusually 



36 FAVORITE TEXTS 

devoted thought and study of the teachings of our Lord. It 
is in the form of a scrap book, the title page of which reads: 

THE LIFE AND MORALS 



OF 



JESUS OF NAZARETH, 

Extracted Textuaixy from the Gospels in Greek, 
IvATin, French and English. 

He was many years employed during leisure time upon 
the work. In a letter to John Adams in 1813, he said he had 
cut up the Gospels "verse,; by verse out of the printed book, 
arranging the matter, which is evidently Christ's." In the let- 
ter he sums up the Gospels as "the most sublime and benevo- 
lent code of morals which has ever been offered to man." The 
body of the book is made up of passages cut from the printed 
Testaments in the four languages mentioned, and pasted upon 
blank leaves, with marginal notes. 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 37 



CHAPTER II. 

THE PENTATEUCH— GENESIS TO 
JOSHUA. 

The first five books of the Bible are not productive of 
texts that are generally quoted or that have been selected as 
the favorite texts of many persons. This is not strange when 
it is considered that the world is now under the reign of the 
gospel and not under the law, which, as the great letter- 
writer of the Bible once said, is a schoolmaster to bring us 
to Christ. 

An infidel was once questioned as to what book he 
would select if he were to be exiled and allowed to have but 
one. He said he would want the Bible, for although he did 
not believe in it, that "it was no end of a book." 

He referred to its diversity and completeness. This is 
shown by the influence it exerts upon men of such different 
natures, occupations and pursuits. For it is found that texts 
from these first five books are favorite texts, or have in- 
fluenced or been quoted by, a great English poet, a writer of 
a famous ballad, a Belgian statesman, an electrical inventor, 
an ex-president, one of the world's greatest reformers and 
scholars, the ambassador of the United States to Germany, 
and the emperor of Germany. 

THOMAS DUNN ENGLISH, author of Ben Bolt, 
a popular ballad for a long time, a number of stones and 
poems, and American Ballads: 

" The first four words of the Book — ' In the beginning, 



38 FAVORITE TEXTS 

God.' " (Genesis 1: 1.) A note signed A. E. stated that as 
Dr. English was almost blind his reply was written with 
difficulty — practically in the dark. 

ALFRED AUSTIN, poet-laureate of Great Britain since 
1896, and author of many prose and poetical works: 
" Let there be light." (Genesis 1:3.) 




COMTE GONTRAN.DE LICHTERVELDE, envoy 
extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of Belgium to 
United States since 1896; of an old Flemish family dating 
from the Crusades: 

"Be fruitful, and multiply." (Genesis 1: 28.) 

NIKOLA TESLA, one of the leading inventors in the 
field of electricity, one of his principal inventions being used 
in the transmission of power from Niagara Falls: 

" The question is difficult to< answer because of the 
grandeur of the work, and still more so because of my limi- 
tations, but I think the most sublime and suggestive is the 
chapter on Genesis. This is perhaps due to the fact that 
thoughts of nature mostly fill my mind." N 



ANDREW JOHNSON, who became president of the 
United States after the lamented Lincoln's death, once fol- 
lowed the tailoring business in Tennessee, where he had a 
shop at Greenville, which shop still stands. In a speech made 
at Gallatin in 1874, he said: "Adam, our great father and 
head, the lord of the world, was a tailor by trade. Adam and 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 39 

Eve ' sewed fig leaves together, and made them aprons.' 
(Genesis 3:7). That is the first we ever heard of tailors, and 
I do not see that — without intending to be personal — anyone 
need be ashamed to be called a tailor, nor that any young 
lady need be ashamed to be a seamstress, for her mother Eve, 
it seems, handled a needle with some skill." 

MELANCTHON, Luther's co-worker, while still a 
youth found his field of labor in Wittenberg. He was to 
translate into the language of science what was revealed by 
the Spirit to the mighty, apostle-like Luther. He was to 
mould and confirm the same. He was to produce a learning 
inspired of God, which should accept as its loftiest task the 
searching of the depths of God's Word, in humble submis- 
sion. He was to fathom ever more deeply the exhaustless 
treasures of wisdom which arc hidden in Christ. When 
Wittenberg, on Reuchlin's recommendation, gave him his 
call, he was just twenty-one. The youth hesitated to leave 
his native land to devote himself to so difficult a work in a 
strange country. He was reminded then by his kinsman, 
Reuchlin, of God's word to Abraham: " Get thee out of thy 
country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, 
unto a land that I will shew thee." (Genesis 12: 1.) 

ANDREW D. WHITE, United States Ambassador to 
Germany, and a member of the Peace Commission which met 
at the Hague, and author of A History of the Warfare of 
Science with Theology: 

" Our English Bible was translated at the very best pe- 
riod of English literature, and anyone who has a multitude of 
texts at his command has not only stored up principles of the 
very highest value, but a multitude of the choicest examples 
of our own great literature. I believe there is no better 
means of learning to write and speak English well than to 



40 FAVORITE TEXTS 

thus treasure in the memory the nobler and more beautiful 
texts of our sacred writings. 

" My preferences in the Old Testament are: For beauty 
of narration, the story of Joseph and his brethren; for sub- 
limity and height of inspiration, some of the nobler Psalms, 
with portions of Isaiah; and for a rule of life, the great pas- 
sage in Micah beginning with the words: 'He hath showed 
thee, O, man, what is good.' (Micah 6:8.) 

" My preferences in the New Testament are, as regards 
an ideal for a Christian man, the Sermon on the Mount with 
' the first and great commandment, and the second, which is 
like unto it '; and as a rule of conduct, the definition of ' pure 
religion and undented ' by St. James, with the delineation of 
charity by St. Paul." 



The story of Joseph and his experience in prison with 
the chief butler was used as a text once in a very apt and 
effective way: 

When the Duke of Ormond, whose family name was 
Butler, was going to take possession as Lord Lieutenant of 
Ireland, he was driven by a storm on to the Isle of Man, 
where a Rev. Mr. Joseph, a poor curate, entertained him as 
hospitably as his means permitted. On his departure the 
Duke promised to provide for him as soon as he became 
viceroy. The curate waited many months in vain, and at last 
went over to Dublin to remind his grace of his promise. De- 
spairing of gaining access to the duke, he obtained permis- 
sion to preach at the Cathedral. The Lord Lieutenant and 
his court were at the church, but none of them remembered 
their humble host till he announced his text, which, it must 
be acknowledged, was well chosen: " Yet did not the chief 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 41 

BUTLER remember JOSEPH, but forgat him." (Genesis 
40:23.) 

The preacher was at once invited to the castle, and a 
good living provided for him. 

EMPEROR WILLIAM II., of Germany, and King of 
Prussia, who is very versatile, being a very fair amateur paint- 
er and thoroughly acquainted with the detail of his army and 
navy, in addition to being a wise and judicious ruler of the 
great German empire, is evidently a student of the Bible. 
This knowledge was shown during his visit to Palestine, and 
later when his army was about to depart for China, he en- 
tered the pulpit and preached on the subject, "The Holy Duty 
and Holy Power of Intercession," taking for a text Exodus 
17: 11: " And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, 
that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek 
prevailed." He said: "True prayer can still cast the banner 
of the dragon in the dust, and plant the banner of the cross 
upon the walls. Eternity will reveal the fulfilment of an old 
promise: ' Call upon me in trouble and I will deliver thee.' 
Therefore, pray continuously." He has also said: "God has 
hung the prayer bell in sunshine and happiness. How often 
does it hang there mute! But when the storm wind of neces- 
sity breaks out it begins to sound. May the earnest days that 
are upon us, the heavy clouds which gather over us, set the 
prayer bells ringing. Let our prayers be as a wall of fire 
round the camp of our brethren. Eternity will show that the 
secret prayers of righteous men were a great power in these 
struggles, and will reveal the fulfilment of the old promise: 
' Call upon me in trouble and I will deliver thee.' Therefore 
pray continuously." 

JAMES D. PHELAN, capitalist and one of the leading 
public men on the Pacific coast; elected mayor of San Fran- 
cisco in 1896 and 1898: 



42 FAVORITE TEXTS 

" Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may 
be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." 
(Exodus 20:12.) 

The following text is inscribed on the old Independence 
Bell, now resting in Independence Hall, Philadelphia: " Pro- 
claim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants 
thereof." (Leviticus 25:10.) For a century and one-fifth of 
a century those words have been impressed on the American 
heart. The poet tells us: 

" How the old bell shook the air, 
Till the clang of Freedom ruffled 

The calmly gliding Delaware." 

And how the old bell went preaching freedom " throughout 
all the land." 

Towards the close of the session of 1844, the House of 
Representatives passed a bill granting an appropriation of 
$30,000 in the interests of telegraphy. The Senate's action 
was still needed. There were but two days before the session 
would close, and over one hundred and forty bills had prece- 
dence. Professor Morse had worked hard for its passage. 
On the last night of the session, he waited until nine o'clock, 
and then, after years of struggle, returned to his hotel dis- 
heartened. He counted his money, and found that on paying 
his fare to New York, he would have only seventy-five cents 
left. Next morning, on going to breakfast, he was informed 
that a young lady awaited him in the parlor. It was Miss 
Annie Ellsworth, the daughter of the Commissioner of Pat- 
ents. She had come to congratulate the Professor on the 
passage of his bill. She was the first to bring the good news 
to Morse. Her father, Morse's steadfast friend in Washing- 
ton, had remained in the Senate until adjournment. The 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 43 

Professor was choked with emotion, and said: " Annie, the 
first message that is sent from Washington to Baltimore shall 
be sent from you." On May 24, 1844, Miss Ellsworth sent 
the first telegram. It was: "What hath God wrought." 
(Numbers 23:23.) 

ALBERT BIGELOW PAINE, magazine contributor 
and editor: 

"I have two texts that I care for very much. * * * 
'And underneath are the everlasting arms,' Deuteronomy 
33: 27, and the twenty-third Psalm. My pleasure in them is 
found in their poetic sweetness and the comforting strength of 
their protection and support." 



FAVORITE TEXTS 



CHAPTER III. 

TWELVE HISTORICAL BOOKS— JOSHUA 
TO JOB. 

In giving the favorite texts selected from the historical 
books of the Old Testament, it may be noted by those in- 
terested in Bible curiosities that among these books are to be 
found the shortest verse of the Old Testament, I Chronicles 
1:25, and the longest, Esther 8:9. It is interesting to note 
of the book of Esther that although it contains ten chapters 
that the word "Lord" nor "God" is not found in it. These 
facts and many others of interest were discovered and noted 
by the learned Prince of Grenada, heir to the Spanish throne, 
imprisoned by the order of the crown for fear he should 
aspire to the throne. He was kept in solitary confinement in 
the old prison at the Place of Skulls, Madrid. After thirty- 
three years in this living tomb death came to his release, 
and the following researches taken from the Bible and marked 
with an old nail on the rough walls of his cell told how the 
brain sought employment through the weary years: 

In the Old New 

Testament. Testament. Total. 

Books 39 27 66 

Chapters 929 260 1,189 

Verses 23,214 7,959 31,173 

Words 592,493 181,253 773,746 

Letters 2,728,100 838,380 3,566,480 

The favorite or influential texts of an American general 
who received the surrender of Santiago, an eminent British 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 45 

statesman, the cobbler-missionary, a New York banker and 
an English editor, are given in this chapter. 

MRS. THEODORE W. BIRNEY, president of the 
National Congress of Mothers: 

" Joshua 1:9 '* * * Be strong and of good courage; 
be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy 
God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.' " 

Benjamin Franklin was ridiculed when in Paris for his 
defence of the Bible, and he determined to find out how 
many of the scoffers had read it. He informed one of the 
learned societies that he had come across a story of pastoral 
life in ancient times that seemed to him very beautiful, but 
of which he would like the opinion of the society. 

On the evening appointed, Franklin read to the assem- 
bly of scholars the Book of Ruth. They were in ecstacies 
over it, and one after another begged that the manuscript 
might be printed. " It is printed," replied Franklin, " and is 
a part of the Bible." 

On another occasion he copied and read to a company 
of free-thinking wits a remarkable " ancient poem." It was 
received with extravagant admiration. Who was the author? 
Where did Franklin discover it? He informed them that it 
was the third chapter of Habakkuk. 

WILLIAM R. SHAFTER, Major General United 
States Volunteers, to whom the Spanish forces at Santiago 
surrendered: 

" A favorite verse in the Bible is the last sentence of the 
eleventh verse, twentieth chapter, First Kings. It is peculiar- 
ly applicable to one in my profession, and is one which I have 
tried to follow." 




46 FAVORITE TEXTS 

JOHN BRIGHT, the English statesman, made happy 
use of a Scripture idyl, which has now taken its place among 
the immortal passages in our English prose. It was when ex- 
plaining why he, a simple Friend, had accepted office in the 
British Government, that he said: "There is a passage in 
the Old Testament which has often struck me as being one of 
great beauty. Many of you will recollect that the prophet, in 
journeying to and fro, was very hospitably entertained by one 
termed in the Bible a Shunamite woman. In return for her 
hospitality he wished to make her some amends, and he called 
her to him and asked her what there was he should do for 
her. ' Wouldst thou be spoken for to the king/ he said, ' or 
to the captain of the host?' (2 Kings 4: 13.) Now it has al- 
ways appeared to me that the Shunamite woman returned 
a great answer. She replied, in declining the prophet's offer, 
' I dwell among mine own people.' When the question was 
put to me whether I should step into the position in which 
I now find myself, the answer from my heart was the same — 
I wish to dwell among mine own people." — Pattison History 
of English Bible. 

JNO. PH. STEIN, stated clerk of General Synod of Re- 
formed Church: 

" 2 Kings 6: 17 expresses the realities of the unseen world 
and St. James 1:21 shows the value of the engrafted word." 

In 1787, when William Carey was urging upon Andrew 
Fuller the necessity for immediate action in the enterprise of 
sending missionaries to give the gospel to the heathen, Fuller 
replied: " If the Lord should make windows in Heaven, 
might this thing be?" (2 Kings 7: 2.) 

HENRY CLEWS, New York banker, but was intended 
for the ministry, at the outbreak of the civil war was invited 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 47 

by the Secretary of Treasury to become agent for sale of 
government bonds; one of the founders and governors of 
the Union League Club, New York: 

" To my mind, one of the noblest texts in the Scripture 
is found in the eleventh verse of the twenty-ninth chapter of 
First Chronicles: ' Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the 
power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for 
all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is 
the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as the head 
above all.' 

"This ascription concentrates all the adoration of ages 
past and to come, and points the way to a perfect faith in 
the Infinite, that will lift up and give us strength for any 
battle in the world." 

JOSEPH S. KEY, bishop of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church South, and son of C. W. Key, for more than fifty 
years a Methodist minister in Georgia: 

"For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout 
the whole earth, to shew himself strong in behalf of them 
whose heart is perfect toward him." (II Chronicles 16: 9.) 

This is also the favorite text of James B. Kenyon, the 
clergyman-poet, author of An Oaten Pipe and other poems. 

CHARLOTTE M. YONGE, editor for thirty years of 
the English publication, the Monthly Packet, and author 
of a number of books, History of Christian Names, Life of 
Bishop Patteson and John Keble's Parishes: 

"The joy of the Lord is your strength. Nehemiah 8: 10. 
Your joy no man taketh from you. John 16: 22." 



gfaVft***^ 



48 FAVORITE TEXTS 



CHAPTER IV. 



JOB. 

From a literary standpoint the Book of Job probably 
ranks higher than any other book of the Bible. With the 
most definite promise of eternal life to be found in the Old 
Testament, it also holds a high place with those who 
regard the book from a spiritual standpoint. It is also 
pre-eminently the book of the Bible for philosophers. 
The sentiment or text from it that seems to have made 
the greatest impression is: "I know that my Redeemer 
liveth." When it peals out from that great oratorio, 
(Handel's Messiah) in music and song, it vibrates with glory 
and stirs the heart of Christians of all evangelical creeds. 

One part or another of the Book of Job seems to have 
had a great influence on Scotchmen. 

Thomas Carlyle, the Scotch historian and essayist, 
said after reading it: "One of the grandest things ever 
written with a pen." Samuel Rutherford, the eminent Scotch 
divine, quoted from it when dying, and the sentiment of the 
last prayer of Robert Louis Stevenson, the Scotch novelist, 
was most probably from it. The last words of Horace Gree- 
ley were quoted from it. 

THOMAS CARLYLE, while visiting at a country house, 
was requested to conduct family worship, and, it is said, that 
having begun reading the Book of Job, he read it right 
through to the end. "One of the grandest things," he says of 
it, "ever written with a pen." Towards the close of his life 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 49 

he sat waiting for tea one evening, with a Bible in his hand, 
and was heard repeating to himself the hymn, dear no doubt, 
from its early associations: 

The hour of my departure comes, 
Hear the voice that calls me home; 
At last, O Lord, let trouble cease, 
And let thy servant die in peace. 

Then all unconscious that he was observed, he buried 
himself once more in the pages of that same book of Job, 
of which he had once said : "Sublime sorrow, sublime recon- 
ciliation; oldest choral melody as of the heart of mankind — 
so soft and great as the summer midnight, as the world with 
its seas and stars." 

JOHN J. INGALLS, for eighteen years United States 
Senator from Kansas: 

"My favorite part-of the Bible is the Book of Job." 

JENNY LIND, whose name is synonymous for beauti- 
ful singing, and the favorite prima donna of the century, 
attended church in London one Sunday, and afterward went 
to the vestry to thank Dr. Forest, dean of Worcester, for 
his sermon. Dr. Forest took the opportunity of telling her 
that some time previous he had visited a youth in his parish 
who was dying of consumption, and who was an earnest 
Christian. Dr. Forest asked him what had led him to 
know Christ as his Saviour. He replied that some time 
before his illness he had gone to the Leeds festival, and there 
had heard Jenny Lind sing, " I know that my Redeemer 
liveth," (Job 19:25), and had been his faithful follower ever 
since. Tears sprang into Jenny Lind's eyes, and after a 
pause thanked the doctor for telling her of the incident, add- 



50 FAVORITE TEXTS 

ing: "It is not the first time that I have heard of a similar 
result from my singing of that song, and I never do sing 
it without first asking God that it may be blessed to at least 
one soul in my audience." 

At the height of her great success, when money was 
pouring into her lap, the Swedish Nightingale, as she was 
called, left the stage and never went back to it. Once an 
English friend found her siting on the steps of a bathing ma- 
chine at the seashore, with a Lutheran Bible on her knee, 
looking out into the glory of the sunset. As they talked 
the conversation drew near to the inevitable question: " Oh, 
Madam Goldschmid, how is it that you ever came to abandon 
the stage at the very height of your success ?" "When every 
day," was the quiet answer, " it made me think less of this 
(laying a finger on the Bible) and nothing at all of that 
(pointing to the sunset), what else could I do ? " 

Perhaps the shortest sermon ever preached was that 
which Doctor Whewell was fond of repeating from the text, 
"Man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upwards." 
(Job 5:7.) 

The sermon barely occupied a minute in delivery, the 
following being a verbatim report : " I shall divide the dis- 
course into three heads : 1. Man's ingress into the world; 
2. His progress through the world; 3. His egress out of the 
world. 

" First, his ingress into the world is naked and bare. 

" Secondly, his progress through the world is trouble 
and care. 

" Thirdly, his egress out of the world is nobody knows 
where. 

" I can tell you no more if I preach a yean" 

Then he gave the benediction. 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 5L 

ROUNSEVILLE WILDMAN, consul-general of the 
United States, Hong Kong, China: " 'The triumphing of 
the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a 
moment.' (Job 20: 5.) 

"Job's trials with his false friends and mine with Aguin- 
aldo and the Hong Kong junta are historical parallels." 

ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON, the novelist and au- 
thor of Treasure Island, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and 
Mr. Hyde, A Child's Garden of Verses, etc., sitting in his 
chamber at his house in Samoa, wrote a prayer, which that 
night he offered for his wife and his native servants who 
knelt with him. He besought the Lord to " behold with 
favor the weak men and women gathered together in 
the peace of this roof." Lie prayed that " when the day 
returned God would call them with morning faces and morn- 
ing hearts, eager to labor, eager to be happy, if happiness 
should be their portion." The thought of morning faces and 
morning hearts, was probably from Job 11: 17. 

The day returned and God called the man who had so 
prayed to come to him. A voice of wonderful power was 
silenced forever, but the little prayer, which taught the duty 
of gladness in the midst of suffering, went out through the 
whole world to touch and uplift despairing hearts. 

SAMUEL RUTHERFORD, Scotch preacher at An- 
worth, 1636, deprived of his office and banished to Aberdeen. 

He was author of the hymn, Glory, glory dwelleth in 
Immanuel's Land. On his death-bed, with Job 13: 15 in mind, 
he said: " If he should slay me ten thousand times, ten thou- 
sand times I'll trust him. I feel, I feel, I believe in joy, and 
rejoice; I feed on manna. O, for arms to embrace him! O, 
for a well-tuned harp!" He also quoted the above words 
from his hymn, 



52 FAVORITE TEXTS 

WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN, Democratic nominee 
for president in 1896, and also in 1900. 

" 'If a man die, shall he live again'? (Job 14: 14) is the 
most important question ever asked. ' But the path of the 
just is as a shining light, that shineth more and more unto the 
perfect day.' (Proverbs 4: 18) is worth remembering in every 
day life." 




JAMES K. JONES, United States Senator from Arkan- 
sas, and chairman of the Democratic National Committee 
1896-1900: 

" In the midst ©f so much that is impressive it is not 
easy to specify any one passage as in all respects surpassing 
all others, but I think that Job's answer to his own question, 
'If a man die, shall he live again'? (Job 14: 14) is the most 
sublime truth given to man — ' For I know that my Redeemer 
liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the 
earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, 
yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, 
and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; * * * ! 
(Job 19:25, 27.) 

It is very interesting to note the coincidence of the 
choice of two men, so closely associated as Mr. Bryan and 
Senator Jones. While they conferred together very often, it 
is probable that neither was aware of the choice of the other. 
The book of Job seems to be a favorite with western men 
generally, Senator Ingalls having chosen it. 

In the city of London, from the great clock tower of the 
parliament buildings, as the hands of the great clock mark 
the completion of each hour, big Ben tolls forth his thunder- 



OF FAMOUS PEOFLE. 53 

ous peal, while at the end of each quarter a little melody is 
played upon the chimes which consists of a few notes from 
the oratorio of the Messiah. For eight miles around the peo- 
ple in smoky London, every fifteen minutes, hear the sweet 
air, " I Know That My Redeemer Liveth." With each re- 
turning quarter of an hour of the day and night, toward all 
the slums and hovels, as well as to all the palaces of London, 
peals out the joyful sound, " I Know That My Redeemer 
Liveth." So the world in its limitless need is beginning to 
feel the power of a limitless supply; is beginning to hear the 
song that sounds over land and sea, and which evermore in 
fuller peal and more joyous chorus will resound to all the 
ends of the earth, " I Know That My Redeemer Liveth." — 
Dr. F. E. Clark. (Job 19:25.) 

HORACE GREELEY, journalist and founder of the 
New York Tribune, said when dying: " I know that my 
Redeemer liveth."— (Job 19:25.) 

O. W. WHITAKER, Right Rev. Bishop of the Diocese 
of Pennsylvania, 1887-1900, Protestant Episcopal Church: 

" Among the chapters and portions of the Bible which 
have deeply impressed me by their truth or strength or beau- 
ty, I would mention the fourteenth and twenty-eighth chap- 
ters of the Book of Job; all of the words of the Lord Jesus 
Christ, and especially the fourteenth, fifteenth and seventeenth 
chapters of the gospel according to St. John; and the third 
chapter of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Philippians." 

One of the leading women librarians of the United States 
sent the following, but preferred that her name be not given: 
"When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble?" 
(Job 34:29.) "The Spirit itself maketh intercession for us 
with groanings which cannot be uttered." (Romans 8: 26.) 



54 FAVORITE TEXTS 



CHAPTER V. 



PSALMS. 

The book of Psalms is quoted more often, or at least more 
texts were selected from it, than from all the other books of 
the Old Testament, if Isaiah be left out. The Psalms seem to 
have a peculiar attraction for military and naval men, whose 
comments show that they are even more familiar with them 
than are some leading clergymen with the texts they 
quote. Among the interesting responses that mentioned 
some verse of the Psalms was the Secretary of the American 
navy, 1896-1900, and three rear-admirals of long service. And 
one famous general and two lieutenant generals of the Brit- 
ish army mention some Psalm or portion of one as their fa- 
vorite. Two well-known American editors and authors find 
comfort in this book of Scripture poetry, Gustavus Adolphus 
and Martin Luther sang Psalms at critical junctures of their 
lives. John Milton paraphrased the one hundred and thirty- 
sixth Psalm when a schoolboy at the age of fifteen. Cyrus 
Hamlin, the missionary and patriarch, quoted the twentieth 
Psalm to those in danger or trouble. 

Wesley and Toplady, the hymn writers, who could not 
agree on theological affairs, both found the Psalms of great 
comfort, both, quoting them on their death-beds. Daniel 
Webster made use of one by quoting it at length in an 
argument before a court. Jewish scholars mention them as 
their favorites, Dr. M. Nordau and the Chief Rabbi Adler of 
the British Empire having responded. 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 55 

COTTON MATHER, Puritan minister of Boston, where 
he carried on a persecution against witchcraft: 

It was one of the most touching traits of his character 
that he had a consuming passion for usefulness, or, as he 
called it, fruitfulness, a passion which was not denied even 
in his own lifetime. His signet ring had for device a fruit 
bearing tree with the words of Psalms 1: 3. 

When he was dying (1728) and almost sunk away from 
sight and hearing of earthly things, his son and successor 
asked him for one word to remember when he was dead, and 
the old man feebly whispered " Fruitful." 

Psalms 2: 10,, 11, was the remonstrance addressed to 
Henry VIII of England by John Lambert, who was burned 
in Smithfield in 1538. His martyrdom was one of the most 
cruel of that time, and yet his faith was triumphant, as he 
lifted his fingers flaming with fire, saying, "None but Christ, 
none but Christ.'' 

C. E. WYCKOFF, one of the editors of the Brotherhood 
Star: " Did you ever search your Bible to find beautiful pas- 
sages about the morning watch? Here is: one. Psalms 5: 3, 
' My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the 
morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.' " 

MRS. THOMAS CARLYLE wrote thus in her journal: 
" Sleep has come to look to me the highest virtue and the 
greatest happiness; that is, good sleep, untroubled, beautiful, 
like a child's. Ah, me! 'Have mercy upon me, O Lord; for 
I am weak; O Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed. My 
soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O Lord, how long?' " 
(Psalms 6:2, 3.) 

JACOB KNAPP, the well-known evangelist, was once 
much annoyed by an ungodly young man occupying a con- 



56 FAVORITE TEXTS 

spicuous place in his audience and taking notes of the elder's 
sermon. He paused, and looking sharply at the reporter, 
said: " 'The wicked shall be turned' into hell, and all the 
nations that forget God.' There, young man, put that down." 
(Psalms 9: 17.) 

JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL, American author, The 
Bigelow Papers and The Vision of Sir Launfal, being some 
of his principal works: 

" When the microscopic search of skepticism, which has 
hunted the heavens and sounded the seas to disprove the 
existence of a Creator, has turned its attention to human 
society, and has found a place on this planet ten miles square 
where a decent man can live in decency, comfort and security, 
supporting and educating his children unspoiled and unpol- 
luted; a place where age is reverenced, infancy respected, 
manhood respected, womanhood honored, and human life held 
in due regard; when skeptics can find such a place ten miles 
square on this globe where the gospel of Christ has not gone 
and cleared the way and laid the foundation and made decency 
and security possible, it will then be in order for the skeptical 
literati to move thither and ventilate their views. But so long 
as these man are dependent on the religion which they discard, 
for every privilege they enjoy, they may well hesitate a little 
before they seek to rob the Christian of his hope, and hu- 
manity of its faith in that Saviour who alone has given to 
man that hope of life eternal which makes life tolerable, and 
society possible and robs death of its terrors and the grave 
of its gloom." It is believed that there are few more power- 
ful comments on: "The fool hath said in his heart, 'There is 
no God.' " (Psalms 14: 1) than the above. 

Two Psalms — the one hundred and twenty-first and the 
one hundred and thirty-fifth — were read in the humble home 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 57 

of David Livingstone's father, on the day when the young 
missionary left it for Africa, and then he and his old father 
walked from Blantyre to Glasgow, to part with one another 
on the sailing of the Liverpool steamer; and years afterwards 
the familiar words of the Psalter are woven into the same no- 
ble biography when Mrs. Moffat, his mother-in-law, writes to 
him: " My dear son Livingstone, unceasing prayer is made 
for you. When I think of you, my heart will go upward: 
'Keep him as the apple of thine eye (Psalms 17:8), Hold 
him in the hollow of thine hand,' are the ejaculations of my 
heart." 

SIR CHARLES WARREN, Lieutenant General, Brit- 
ish Army, and conductor of excavations at Jerusalem for 
Palestine exploration fund, and. author of Underground 
Jerusalem, the Temple or the Tomb, also commander of 
troops against the Bechuanas several times: 

" As a child my father taught me to repeat every morn- 
ing the fifteenth Psalm: ' Lord, who shall abide in thy 
tabernacle?' etc. That chapter is still with me at any time 
wherever I may be, and I should say that its possession at all 
times has been a blessing to me." 

D. C. GILMAN, first president of Johns Hopkins Uni- 
versity, and since 1875: — 

"As my favorite text or scriptures I name the nine- 
teenth Psalm and the Sermon on the Mount." 

G. W. SUMNER, rear admiral U. S. navy, and took 
part in several of the principal naval battles of the civil war, 
and made the fastest long-distance run for a man-of-war with 
the U. S. S. Columbia from Southampton to New York: 

" My favorite chapter is the nineteenth Psalm. My at- 
tention was specially called to it many years ago from hear- 
ing and seeing it read by the blind preacher, Milburn." 



58 FAVORITE TEXTS 

CYRUS HAMLIN, for many years missionary to Tur- 
key, and founder of Robert College in Constantinople, author 
of Among the Turks and My Life and Times. He noted on 
the reply: "In my ninetieth year." Lie died a few months 
afterwards. 

" My favorite text is the twentieth Psalm. I have often 
read it to the afflicted and to those in any danger." 



THE TWENTY-THIRD PSALM. 

Among other favorite Scriptures the twenty-third Psalm 
is mentioned by George C. Lorimer, pastor of Tremont Tem- 
ple, Boston, Mass.; Bishop Whipple of Minnesota, Gen. O. 
O. Howard, Col. Estey, the manufacturer, and Harry Kellar, 
the magician. 

' From Hymns that have Helped we learn that the metri- 
cal version of this Psalm was the favorite of S. R. Crockett, 
author of the Raiders, who says there is no hymn like it. 
He adds that he has stood by upwards of a hundred people 
when they were dying, and that the words of the Psalm ush- 
ered most of them out into the Quiet. It was the comfort 
of the Covenanters in the days when they could not call their 
lives their own; John Ruskin learned it at his mother's knee; 
Edward Irving, at one time assistant to Dr. Chalmers, and 
founder of the Catholic and Apostolic Church, recited it as 
he was dying; Heinrich Heine, in one of his latest poems, re- 
calls the image of the Shepherd Guide whose "Pastures green 
and sweet, refresh the wanderer's weary feet." When St. 
Francis of Assisi went alone, bareheaded and barefoot, to 
convert the Sultan, he kept up his spirit by chanting this 
Psalm. 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 59 

SIR JOHN SIMPSON, the eminent surgeon, said 
there was no part of Scripture dearer than the twentieth 
Psalm, and that because he had so often known his mother, 
in her poverty, sit down and repeat it and rise refreshed. The 
children learned to call it Mother's Psalm. 

A prominent United States Senator, chairman of a com- 
mittee, and having a large part in the presidential campaign 
of 1900, gave the following: 

" 'Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of 
death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me.' " His name 
is withheld, for to give it would be a breach of confidence, 
inasmuch as he adds: " My reason for calling it my favorite 
is simply because when a young boy, I enlisted in the army 
in 1862, a little girl sweetheart gave me a Bible with that 
passage marked." 

JOHN D. LONG, Secretary of the United States Navy 
Department, 1897-1900, during the Spanish war: 

" Aside from the good moral effect of committing the 
Scriptures, the familiar version is, in my opinion, the best 
English ever written; and if I were to start again as a 
teacher, I would have my pupils commit portions of it, es- 
pecially the Psalms, believing that in no way could they 
acquire a better style and use of our language. 

" Among the many favorite chapters it is only possible 
to give the one that comes first to my mind; that is, the 
twenty-third Psalm, beginning, 'The Lord is my shepherd, I 
shall not want.' With me, as with so many others, it is asso- 
ciated with the earliest period of my life. I was taught it 
earlier than I can remember, and taught to repeat it, as was 
my mother before me." 




60 FAVORITE TEXTS 

SIMON NEWCOMB, astronomer, has made many as- 
tronomical discoveries, given to the world in over one hun- 
dred papers, and the only American, since Franklin, elected 
an associate of the Institute of France: 

Mrs. Newcomb, who writes for him since he was injured 
in a carriage accident, says that he cannot say which is his 
favorite text, but that he used to be very fond of repeating 
hymns or having them sung for him. His favorite was, "In 
the cross of Christ I glory." This is based on Galatians 6: 14. 
Mrs. Newcomb mentions the twenty-third Psalm as her fa- 
vorite. 

ANSTICE ABBOTT, missionary of Bombay, India: "I 
will mention the twenty-third Psalm as one of the portions 
dearest to me, and particularly the third verse." 

HOWARD TAYLOR, medical director, and son of the 
founder of the China Inland Mission, gives the Shepherd 
Psalm as his favorite. 

W. F. POWELL, United States Minister to Haiti, 1887 
to 1900, and an advocate of manual training, having intro- 
duced it in public schools of Camden, N. J., 1883: 

" In enjoying present pleasures we fail to think of or 
acknowledge whence they come. From my youth to the 
present I have relied upon the twenty-third Psalm." 

WILLIAM HENRY EGLE, State Librarian of Penn- 
sylvania for some time, and historian: 

" Psalm twenty-three and the Beatitudes." 

" THOMAS JAMES WELLAND, Bishop of the Irish 
Episcopal Church, see of Down and Connor, Holywood: 
" Psalm twenty-three." 

N. FARQUHAR, Rear-Admiral U. S. Navy, brought 
the captured slaver Triton to the U. S. in 1861, and in com- 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 61 

mand of the U. S. S. Trenton in the Apia, Samoa, hurricane, 
saving his crew of 450 men: 

" I beg to say that the twenty-third Psalm is a favorite 
of mine." 

When Jas. Inglis was upon his death bed the twenty- 
third Psalm was read to him, and the dying saint said: " You 
will understand me as not speaking boastfully of myself when 
I say that every word you have read is personal to me, per- 
sonal to my faith, personal to my soul. And now I will rest, 
and afterward we will talk about his mercies." 

Very similar was the death of the Indian missionary, 
Dr. Alexander Duff; for, apparently unconscious and evident- 
ly dying, his daughter repeated this Psalm, and he responded 
at the end of each verse. 

JOHN WELSH, son-in-law of John Knox, sang this 
Psalm at two in the morning, when banished from Scotland, 
and with other ministers of the reformed faith and a large 
concourse of people singing and praying with them, set sail 
for France. Welsh's wife besought the King for her husband, 
and was offered his liberty on condition of his preaching and 
teaching no more. The brave daughter of Knox lifted her 
apron with her hands and said: " I would rather receive 
his head here than his liberty at such a price." 

Two young women, Marion Harvey and Isabel Alison, 
on their way to the scaffold for the honor and name of Jesus, 
were annoyed by the priests who wished to thrust their pray- 
ers on them, and the one said to the other, " Come, Isabel, 
let us sing the twenty-third Psalm," which they did; and she 
then said, " I am come here today for avowing Christ to be 
the Head of His church, and King in Zion. O, Seek him, 
sirs, seek him, and ye shall find him." 

The greatest of Scottish philosophers, Sir William Ham- 
ilton, died saying: " Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me," 
(Psalms 23:4.) 



62 FAVORITE TEXTS 

CHAPTER VI. 

PSALMS— Continued. 

The Royal Exchange in London bears across its portico 
the words: "The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness there- 
of." (Psalms 24: 1.) A wag, reading this inscription once 
said: "The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof be- 
longs to the Royal Exchange." 

Psalms 31:5 holds an extraordinary place among dying 
believers — "Into thy hands I commend my Spirit" — the 
words rise from saint after saint. These were the last words 
spoken by Jesus on the cross, Luke 23: 46, the last of Stephen; 
Acts 7: 59, of Polycarp, Basil, St. Louis, Columbus and of the 
poor Italian prisoner of our own times, Silvio Pellico. 

On the 6th of July, 1415, John Huss of Bohemia was 
burned to death in a field near the ancient city of Constance, 
his safe conduct being violated by the Emperor Sigismund, 
for which the Pope gave absolution. A brass tablet marks 
the spot where Huss stood. While seven bishops removed 
his priestly dress piece by piece, and placed on his head a 
paper crown painted with demons, they addressed him, "We 
deliver thy soul to Satan." " But I," he said, " commend it 
to Thy hands, Lord Jesus Christ, who hast redeemed me." 

One hundred and thirty-one years after Huss, Luther 
died (1546). Among his last words were these: " I pray 
Thee, O Lord, Jesus Christ, to take my soul into Thy keep- 
ing." Then he said thrice, " Father, into Thy hands I com- 
mend my Spirit; Thou hast redeemed me, Lord God of 
truth," (Psalms 31:5.) 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 63 

In 1572, John Knox died, saying: " Now, for the last 
time, I commend my spirit, soul and body," touching three 
of his fingers, " into Thy hand, O Lord." 

Nearly a century after this Hugh McKail, the gifted 
martyr of Scotland, took hold of the ladder to go up to his 
death, having sung these same words, saying as he went up, 
" I care no more to go up this ladder, and over it, than if 
I were going home to my father's house." He called to his 
friends and fellow-sufferers below, " Be not afraid. Every 
step of this ladder is a degree nearer heaven." 

" Into thy hands I commend my spirit" were also the 
last words of Lady Jane Grey; of Charlemagne, King of 
France and Emperor of the West; of Mary, Queen of Scots. 
Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States, said: 
" I resign my spirit to God and my daughter to my country." 
Edward the Sixth, son of Henry the Eighth: " Lord, take 
my spirit." Michael Angelo said: " My soul I resign to 
God." He admonished his relatives in their life and death to 
think on the sufferings of Jesus Christ. 

St. Augustine often read the thirty-second Psalm " with 
weeping heart and e}^es, and before his death had it written 
upon the wall which was over against his sick bed, that he 
might be exercised and comforted by it in his sickness." His 
words, " The beginning of knowledge is to know thyself to 
he a sinner," might be prefixed to it as a motto. 

COLUMBA, of Scotland, after laboring thirty-four years 
in Iona, felt death coming upon him. Going to the monas- 
tery barn, he blessed the grain, and thanked God there would 
be enough for the brethren. 

He then returned to the monastery, and went to the 
library, to continue a copy of the Psalms already begun by 
him. When he came to the words in the thirty-fourth Psalm, 



64 FAVORITE TEXTS 

" They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing," 
he rose from his work and said: " This ends the page, and I 
will cease here. Baithen may write what follows." (Baithen, 
long chosen by Columba as his successor, did really complete 
the copy.) It was now time for evening prayers, and he 
went with his brethren into the chapel. Returning, he lay 
down on his -hard couch, and committed to his faithful servant 
his last wishes for the brethren: " This is my last command- 
ment to you, my children, that ye should love one another 
sincerely, and be at peace. If ye follow the example of the 
good, God, who strengthens such, will surely be with you/' 
These were Columba' s last words. 

Inscriptions on old houses in Edinburgh: "He that 
tholes (endures) overcomes." " O, magnify the Lord with 
me, and let us exalt his name together." (Psalms 34: 3.) 

During the days of early Methodism in England, there 
was a preacher named Samuel Bradburn, of whom Wesley 
held a high opinion. Bradburn being in a state of impecu- 
niosity, Wesley sent him five one-pound notes with the fol- 
lowing letter: 

"Dear Sammy: 'Trust in the Lord, and do good; so 
shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.' 
(Psalms 37:3.) Yours affectionately, 

JOHN WESLEY." 

Bradburn thus replied: 

"Rev. and Dear Sir: I have often been struck with the 
beauty of the passage of Scripture quoted in your letter, but 
I must confess that I never saw such useful expository notes 
upon it before. I am, Rev. and dear sir, your obedient and 
grateful servant, 

S. BRADBURN." 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 63 

SIR GEORGE B. WOLSELEY, K. C. B., lieutenant 
general on the staff of the British Army in India, fourth son 
of the late commander-in-chief of the British Army; having 
served with distinction in the principal campaigns during the 
past forty years: " Psalms 37: 3 — a verified dream." 




HEZEKIAH BUTTERWORTH, author of Zig-Zag 
Journeys, and for over twenty years editor of the Youth's 
Companion : 

"My favorite passage of Scripture is: 'Commit thy way 
unto the Lord; trust also in Him and He shall bring it to 
pass/ (Psalm 37:5.) 

"My favorite chapter is Psalm 23. 

"My favorite poem is the Book of Job." 

PAUL GERHARD, Lutheran minister at Berlin, was 
deposed from his office, and banished the country in 1666, 
by the elector Frederic William the Great, on account of the 
faithful discharge of his ministerial duties. Not knowing 
whither to go, he and his wife passed out of the city, and 
finally stopped at a tavern, oppressed with care and grief. 
Gerhard endeavored to comfort his partner by the text, 
" Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and 
He shall bring it to pass." (Psalm 37: 5.) Then he wrote a 
hymn embodying this sentiment. Before he had finished 
its perusal the agents of Duke Christian of Mersburg invited 
him to an interview with that prince, by whom he was ap- 
pointed Archdeacon at Luebben. 



66 FAVORITE TEXTS 

The bells of Westminster Abbey chime hourly a sweet, 
simple melody. The words allied to the tune are these: 

All through this hour, 

Lord be my guide, 
And through Thy power 

No foot shall slide. 

(Psalms 37:31.) 

ORISON SWEET MARDEN, founder and editor of 
Success, and author of Architects of Fate, Pushing to the 
Front, and similar books: 

" 'As the heart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth 
my soul after Thee, O God.' (Psalm 42: 1.) It has always 
been my favorite and I cannot remember the time when 
I was not impressed by it." 

Psalm 46 was paraphrased by Luther in his "Eine feste" 
Burg," which is translated for us in the well-known lines, 
"A safe stronghold," etc. This was the "Marseillaise of the 
Reformation." In the dark Reformation times Luther would 
say to Melancthon, "Come, Philip, let us sing the forty- 
sixth Psalm." When the Protestant cause seemed to be 
losing ground, "he sang it to the lute every day, standing 
at the window and looking up to Heaven." 

When he and Melancthon and others were sent into 
banishment, and were entering Weimar in great despondency, 
they heard a girl singing this Psalm. "Sing on, dear daughter 
mine," Melancthon said, "thou knowest not what comfort 
thou bringest to our hearts." 

GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS prepared for the battle of 
Leipsic by singing this Psalm 46 along with his whole army. 
Wesley preached on it when a shock of earthquake threw 
London into terror the last century. The people of Moscow 
used this Psalm as their memorial song of triumph for that 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 67 

night on which twenty thousand of Napoleon's horses per- 
ished by frost, and the French army were driven back by an 
unseen hand into its disastrous retreat. 

JOHN WESLEY, the founder of Methodism, and one 
of the earliest of modern evangelists, and the awakener of 
thousands of souls, had a triumphant death. He sang several 
stanzas, commencing: 

"I'll praise my Maker while I've breath, 
"And when my voice is lost in death," etc. 
He then repeated from Psalms 46:11: "The Lord of 
hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge." He re- 
peated several times: "The best of all is, God is with us." 

AUGUSTUS M. TOPLADY, author of "Rock of 
Ages," the world's most popular hymn, died in London at 
the age of thirty-eight. Although he had the brightest pros- 
pects before him, he was almost exultant at the prospect of 
heaven, repeating Psalms 55: 6. 

Viewed from a worldly standpoint, the career of Allen 
Gardiner was a miserable failure and his life wasted in a 
hopeless undertaking. While a captain in the British navy 
he witnessed the heathen worship of a Chinese Temple and 
there the impulse came which led him to devote his life to 
the heathen. He sought in vain for an opportunity to work 
in South Africa, New Guinea, and South America. With 
untiring zeal and unconquerable faith he was the means of 
forming the Patagonian Missionary Society under whose 
auspices he thrice led a forlorn hope to the dreary and stormy 
wastes of Terra del Fuego. On his fourth and last attempt 
he was put ashore with six companions on an island of his 
choice, with provisions for six months. But before another 
vessel reached the spot all had perished from cold and dis- 



68 FAVORITE TEXTS 

ease and starvation. But there was no despair for Gardiner. 
With undiminished faith he left to his friends a solemn charge 
not to neglect the object for which he had so gladly sacri- 
ficed his life, and with feeble hands he traced these words: 
"My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is 
from him." (Psalms 62: 5.) 

ETHEL E. BALDWIN, delegate to Ecumenical Con- 
ference of Foreign Missions, New York, 1900: 

" 'My word shall not return unto me void' is my sure prom- 
ise of success for the work at home and abroad. 'There is 
that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that with- 
holdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.' (Pro- 
verbs 11: 24) is my missionary text. Psalms 68: 11 I call my 
resurrected text, it being only in the revised version: 'The 
Lord giveth the word: the women who publish the tidings 
are a great host.' Strangely enough this text was resurrected 
just as the doors opened in heathen lands calling for a host 
of women, and they are at work under this renewed commis- 
sion." 

CANON WALTER J. EDMONDS, Exeter Cathedral, 
England: 

"Text of life-long helpfulness — T will go in the strength 
of the Lord God: I will make mention of Thy righteousness, 
even of Thine only.' Psalms 71, 16." 

GEO. E. BELKNAP, rear admiral U. S. Navy, engaged 
in the capture of the Barrier forts in China in 1856, and was in 
many of the battles of the Civil war: 

"Among many noteworthy and suggestive chapters in the 
Bible, not omitting the magnificent epic of Job, Psalms 90 is 
a great favorite with me. Its majestic phrasing and solid 
statement often sound in my ears. It seems to declare and 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 69 

impress upon us the height and majesty, the omnipotence, 
the unchanging purposes and eternal grace of Almighty God 
more comprehensively and profoundly than any other chapter 
of Holy Writ. It also sets forth the solemn fact of man's 
brief life and evanescent work in a way that even a fool in his 
sublimest folly can understand and take home to himself the 
ever-living truth that from the earth he sprang and that to the 
earth he must soon return, while God reigns from everlasting 
to everlasting and his testimonies are ever Very sure.' " 

J. M. THOBURN, missionary bishop of the Methodist 
church in India and Malaysia 1888 to 1900, author of Light in 
the East and Christless Nations: 

"I have no permanent favorite among the Bible passages 
but nearly always have a verse or verses in mind, suited to 
the emergency of the hour or day. At present I am drawn 
to Psalms 91:14, 15, 16." 

D. L. MOODY'S favorite Psalm was the ninety-first. 
When in November, 1892, he and his fellow passengers on 
the steamship Spree were threatened by a billowy grave he 
preached to a most attentive audience from the words found 
in verses fourteen to sixteen. They called upon God and he 
answered them, "and delivered them." 

H. B. WHIPPLE, Protestant Episcopal bishop of Min- 
nesota, since 1859, over forty years, going there when the 
state was almost a wilderness, and doing a great work among 
the Indians: 

"I believe that the Bible was written under the guidance 
and inspiration of God and that all is good. The three texts 
which have come most often to me in the cares and burdens 
of the over forty years of my episcopate, are Psalms 93: 1, 
Psalms 23: 1 and St. John 14, last clause of the ninth verse." 



70 FAVORITE TEXTS 

While the U. S. S. Mississippi rode at anchor in the 
harbor of Uraga on July 10, 1853, Commodore Matthew Gal- 
braith Perry spread out the stars and stripes over the capstan, 
and using the latter as a pulpit he read the one hundredth 
Psalm. As he proclaimed his message: "Make a joyful noise 
unto the Lord, all ye lands," the world was little cognizant of 
the wondrous change which was about to take place in Japan, 
which was to be opened to the gospel, and should come to 
know that the Lord he is God. 

In the metrical version of the one hundredth psalm, says 
Hymns that have Helped, the men of North Britain found a 
practical substitute for the papistical Te Deums, which they 
abhorred. It was written by W. Kethe in 1560-61 to fit the 
tune in the Genevan Psalter, now known as the Old Hun- 
dredth. It is one of the few Psalms to which Shakespeare 
makes reference in his plays. Longfellow refers to the New 
England settlers, "Singing the Hundredth Psalm, that grand 
old Puritan anthem." Rev. James Campbell of Dublin says 
that the magnificent version of the Hundredth, set to Luther's 
majestic tune, has wedded Lutherans and Calvinists to eter- 
nity, and girdled the earth with sweet and stately praise. 

JOHN S. HUYLER, philanthropist and manufacturer, 
and deeply interested in mission work in New York: 

He says that he has many texts for special times and 
occasions, but the most prominent one for general use is: 
"He knoweth our frame; remembereth that we are dust." 
(Psalms 103:14.) 

CHARLES F. THWING, president Western Reserve 
University: 

"I have several equally favorite chapters, but on the 
whole, the one that is the greatest favorite is the one hundred 
and third Psalm." 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 71 

ISRAEL ZANGWILL, man of letters, self-educated, 
author of Dreamers of the Ghetto, They that walk in Dark- 
ness, etc.: 

"I think that people might do worse than study Psalms 
one hundred and third and one hundred and fourth, and I like 
First Corinthians, chapter thirteen, verse seven." 



/J-V 



««^>W 



H. C. MORRISON, bishop of the Methodist church 
South, and pastor for twelve years in the largest Methodist 
churches in Louisville, Ky. : 

"The one hundred and third Psalm has been a favorite 
with me from my boyhood." 

DR. M. NORDAU, Officier d'Academie, France, author 

and physician: "The Bible has been my constant companion 
since my early childhood. The effects of the word upon me 
have been different at different times of my life, but I have 
never ceased reading it. Job, the Ecclesiastes and the Psalms 
occupy the highest rank in my estimation, and the psalm I 
prefer to all others is the ninetieth, on the fragility of human 
life. I know this Psalm like many others by heart, and quote 
it very often." 

To the sublime strains of the ninetieth Psalm, Hampton's 
troopers carried him to his last resting place among the Chil- 
tern Hills. 

CROMWELL sang with his soldiers the one hundred 
and seventeenth Psalm on the battlefield of Dunbar. 

FRANK EDWIN ELWELL, sculptor, the equestrian 
statue of General Hancock at Gettysburg, and Dickens and 



72 FAVORITE TEXTS 

Little Nell at Philadelphia being among his most notable 
works : 

" 'This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will re- 
joice and be glad in it.' (Psalms 118: 24). As far as I am 
concerned it has no relation to the Jewish sabbath, but re- 
minds one that every instant of this life is an influx from the 
divine and that every day is a day of the Lord. The teachings 
of Christianity have tumbled into materialism, which has 
caused most of the crime of civilization. To believe that our 
life is God's life is to feel that there is but one life and that of 
love." 

MALTBIE DAVENPORT BABCOCK, D. D., for- 
merly of Baltimore, but in 1900 at the Brick Presbyterian 
Church, New York, successor to Henry Van Dyke: 

"I believe profoundly in the custom of committing texts, 
or rather Psalms and chapters, to memory. 'Thy word have 
I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against Thee' is suffi- 
cient incentive." 

WILLIAM LAWRENCE MERRY, U. S. minister to 
Nicaragua, Salvador and Costa Rica, 1897-1900, and for a 
number of years commander of steamships on the Atlantic 
and Pacific oceans: 

"Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and 
thy law is the truth." (Psalms 119: 142). 

GEORGE WISHART, the chaplain and biographer of 
"the great Marquis of Montrose," as he was called, would 
have shared the fate of his illustrious patron but for the fol- 
lowing singular expedient. When upon the scaffold, he 
availed himself of the custom of the times, which permitted 
the condemned to choose a psalm to be sung. He selected 
the one hundred and nineteenth Psalm, and before two-thirds 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. ?3 

of the psalm had been sung, a pardon arrived, and his life was 
preserved. It may not be out of place to add that the George 
Wishart, Bishop of Edinburgh, above referred to, has been 
too often confounded with the godly martyr of the same name 
who lived and died a century previously. We only mention 
the incident because it has often been quoted as a singular 
instance of the providential escape of a saintly personage; 
whereas it was the very ingenious device of a person who, 
according to Woodrow, was more renowned for shrewdness 
than for sanctity. The length of this psalm was sagaciously 
employed as the means of gaining time, and, happily, the ex- 
pedient succeeded. — C H. Spurgeon. 

"The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands 
of gold and silver." (Psalms 119: 72). The largest Bible in 
the world, which is in the Vatican, furnished an actual com- 
ment on this. It is in Hebrew manuscript and weighs 320 
pounds. Some Italian Jews obtained a view of the precious 
volume and told their friends in Venice about it. The result 
was that a syndicate of Russian Jews tried to purchase it, 
offering the Pope the weight of the book in gold as the 
price. Pope Julius the second, however, refused the offer. 
At the present price of gold the offer would amount to about 
$360,000. 

EDWARD, the Black Prince, chose, "My help cometh 
from the Lord," the first clause of the second verse of the 
one hundred and twenty-first Psalm, as the motto for coins 
struck in England in 1362. 

J. C. WATSON, rear admiral U. S. Navy, and successor 
to Admiral Dewey in command of the fleet in the Philip- 
pines: "My favorite chapter is the Traveller's Psalm, 121; 
the seventh and eighth verses mean more to me than any 
others." 



74 FAVORITE TEXTS 

The gates of the celestial city were opening for him 
when McCheyne joyously exclaimed: "My soul is escaped 
as a bird out of the snare of the fowler; the snare is broken, 
and I am escaped." (Psalms 124: 7.) 

On August 22, 1900, the American Board of Commis- 
sioners for Foreign Missions received a cablegram from 
Che-Foo, China, where the missionaries were being massa- 
cred and undergoing the worst persecution of the century. 
It read: "Psalms 124," the names of missionaries that were 
saved and their stations being added. The comment of the 
daily press was that it was better than a code. 

"Let us with a gladsome mind, 
Praise the Lord, for He is kind: 
For his mercies aye endure, 
Ever faithful, ever sure." 
This is the first verse of the paraphrase of the one hun- 
dred and thirty-sixth Psalm, written by Milton, when he was 
a boy of fifteen at St. Paul's school. 

DANIEL WEBSTER was a constant student of the 
Bible, and his most impressive use of the one hundred and 
thirty-ninth Psalm in one of his great cases will be quoted 
so long as his name is remembered. "A sense of duty pur- 
sues us ever. It is omnipresent like the Deity. If we take to 
ourselves the wings of the morning and dwell in the utter- 
most parts of the sea, duty performed or duty violated, is still 
with us for our happiness or our misery. If we say, 'Surely 
the darkness shall cover us,' in the darkness as in the light 
our obligations are yet with us. We can not escape from 
their power, nor fly from their presence." 

SIR EVELYN WOOD, general in the British army, 
possessor of Victoria Cross and several other medals for 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 75 

bravery, severely wounded while carrying a scaling ladder 
at Redan, prominent in Indian, Egyptian and African cam- 
paigns: 

"A text often in my mind is: 'O Lord God, thou 
strength of my health: thou hast covered my head in the 
day of battle/ Psalms 140: 7." 

VERY REV. HERMANN ADLER, D. D., Chief 
Rabbi of the British Empire: 

"Psalm 143:8. 'Cause me to hear thy loving kindness 
in the morning: for in Thee do I trust: cause me to know 
the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto 
Thee/ " 



cjL^^l^rur 



78 FAVORITE TEXTS 



CHAPTER VII. 
PROVERBS AND ECCLESIASTES. 

Jewish writers say that Solomon wrote the Canticles or 
Song of Solomon in his youth, the Proverbs in his riper 
years and Ecclesiastes in his old age. Luther said that every 
man aiming at godliness should make Proverbs his book of 
devotion. Coleridge said that it was the best statesman's 
manual ever written and Stuart adds: "All the heathen 
moralists and proverbialists joined together cannot furnish 
us with one such book as that of Proverbs." If any book 
of the Old Testament may be claimed by young men as 
directed to them it is Proverbs. 

General Grant quoted Proverbs 14: 34, in a message to 
the children of the United States, and this text General Mer- 
ritt says is over the altar in the chapel of the U. S. military 
academy at West Point, and has followed him through a busy 
life. Lord Shaftesbury took for his ideal the description of 
a wife from one of its chapters. Henry M. Stanley, the ex- 
plorer and Alma-Tadema, the artist, found in Ecclesiastes 
9: 10, the rule of their lives. 

FITZHUGH LEE, military governor of Havana, 1899, 
later governor of the Western Department of Cuba; in the 
civil war, had three horses shot under at battle of Winchester, 
and was major-general of volunteers in war with Spain: 

"I quote the twenty-third verse of the fourth chapter 
of Proverbs: 'Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out 
of it are the issues of life.' " 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 77 

This is also the favorite text of Cady Staley, president 
of the Case School of Applied Science. 

W. MERRITT, Major-General United States Army, to 
whom the Spanish army surrendered at Manila: 

" 'Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach 
to any people/ (Proverbs 14: 34.) This text, which is over 
the altar at West Point in the chapel, has followed me 
through a busy life." , 




W/ 



t 



Iii June, 1876, when the editor of the Sunday-School 
Times asked President Grant for a message to the youth and 
children of the United States to accompany a Centennial 
number of his paper, his reply was: "My advice to Sunday- 
schools, no matter what their denomination, is: Hold fast 
to the Bible as the sheet anchor of your liberties; write its 
precepts in your hearts and practice them in your lives. 

"To the influence of this book we are indebted for ail 
the progress made in true civilization, and to this book we 
must look as our guide for the future. 

" 'Righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a re- 
proach to any people/ (Proverbs 14:34.) Yours respect- 
fully, U. S. Grant." 

E. CROZAT CONVERSE, composer of symphonic and 
church music, his American Overture for full orchestra being 
played by Thomas orchestra at the World's Fair, and by 
prominent orchestras since: 

"There is no more precious text of the Bible to me 
than that which tells of the infinite fullness, yet finite 
brother-nearness of Christ's friendship: Proverbs 18:24." 
See also Hebrews 2: 11. 



78 FAVORITE TEXTS 

DEAN SWIFT preached one of the shortest sermons on 
record from the following text: "He that hath pity upon 
the poor lendeth to the Lord." (Proverbs 19: 17.) 

It was a charity sermon, and was all embraced in one 
sentence. Here it is: "Now my brethren, if you are satisfied 
with the security, down with the dust." An unusually large 
collection was taken. 

The late Bishop , it is said, was strongly op- 
posed to the principles of total abstinence, and had his 
sideboard loaded with brandy and wine, etc. On one occa- 
sion a minister, a decided temperance man, dined with the 
bishop, who pouring out a glass of wine, desired him to 
drink with him. 

"Can't do it, Bishop; 'Wine is a mocker.' " (Proverbs 
20:1.) 

"Take a glass of brandy, then." 

"Can't do it, Bishop; 'Strong drink is raging.' " (Pro- 
verbs 20:1.) 

By this time, the Bishop becoming excited, remarked 
to his guest: 

"You will pass the decanter to the gentleman next you." 

"No, Bishop, I can't do that; 'Woe unto him that giveth 
his neighbor drink, that puttest thy bottle to him.' " 
(Habakkuk 2:15.) 

H. C. CORBIN, adjutant general U. S. Army, served 
ten years on the plains in the West, was with President Gar- 
field when he was shot and also at his death-bed: 

"A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, 
and loving favor rather than silver and gold. Proverbs 22: 1." 

"Oh glorious! Would to God I had such a wife as this!" 
is the written comment on Proverbs 31. (The description 
of the virtuous woman) which was discovered in the great 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 79 

Lord Shaftesbury's pocket Bible. A later note which follows 
read thus: "And so I have, God be everlastingly praised! 
1846." 

ECCLESIASTES. 

SAM WALTER FOSS, poet and journalist: 
"He hath made everything beautiful in his time." (Ec- 
clesiastes 3: 11.) 

SIR LAWRENCE ALMA-TADEMA, painter of a 
number of famous pictures, The Spring, being among his 
later works: "Ecclesiastes 9: 10: 'Whatsoever thy hand 
findeth to do, do it with thy might,' which is the rule of my 
life." 

J. G. MILLAIS, artist and author, has travelled and 
shot big game in all parts of the world: 

"Know thyself." He adds to the note: "I think the 
above is a good Greek proverb." (The author is not able 
to furnish any Scripture reference for it.) 

HENRY M. STANLEY, African explorer, author and 
lecturer, among his books are, How I found Livingstone, 
and Through the Dark Continent: 

"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy 
might." (Ecclesiastes 9: 10.) 




He said that these words were the guiding motto of 
his life. Writing of one of the most tragic experiences in 
his very eventful life, he says: "Constrained at the darkest 



80 FAVORITE TEXTS 

hour to humbly confess that without God's help I was help- 
less, I vowed a vow in the forest solitudes that I would con- 
fess his aid before men. A silence, as of death, was round 
about me; it was midnight; I was weakened with illness, 
prostrated by fatigue, and worn with anxiety for my black 
and white companions whose fate was a mystery. In this 
physical and mental distress I besought God to give me back 
my people. Nine hours later we were exulting with a raptur- 
ous joy. In full view of all was the crimson flag with the 
crescent, and beneath its waving folds was the long-lost rear 
column. " (See Romans 10: 9, 10.) In a speech recently de- 
livered in England, Mr. Stanley told this remarkable story 
of a missionary Bible: 

"Janet Livingstone, sister of the great missionary, gave 
me a richly bound Bible. Not liking to risk it on a journey 
around the Victoria Nyanza, I asked my companion to lend 
me his somewhat torn and stained copy, and I sailed on my 
way to Uganda, little thinking what a revolution in Central 
Africa that book would make. 

"We stayed in Uganda some time, and one morning 
during a levee the subject of religion was broached, and I 
happened to strike an emotional chord by making a casual 
reference to angels. King and chiefs were moved as one 
man to hear more about angels. My verbal descriptions of 
them were not sufficient. 

" 'But,' said I, 'I have a book with me which will tell 
you far better, not only what angels are, but what God and 
His blessed Son are like, to whom the angels are but minis- 
tering servants.' 

" 'Fetch it!' they cried, eagerly. 'Fetch it now! We 
will wait!' 

"The book was brought, opened, and I read the tenth 
chapter of Ezekiel and the seventh chapter of Revelation, 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. SI 

from the ninth verse to the end [translating, of course, into 
the native tongue], and as I read the eleventh and twelfth 
verses you could have heard a pin drop. When they heard 
the verse, "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any 
more, neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat/ I 
had a presentiment that Uganda would eventually be won to 
Christ. I was not permitted to carry that Bible away. Mtesa 
never forgot the wonderful words nor the startling effect they 
had on him and his chiefs. 

"As I was turning away from his country, his messenger 
came and cried, 'The Book! Mtesa wants the Book!' It was 
given to him. To-day the Christians number many thousands 
in Uganda. They have proved their faith at the stake, under 
the knobstick and under torture till death." 

The Bible is its own witness. Its non-reading critics, 
who are "indebted to their imagination for their facts," in- 
vite the disdain that follows wilful ignorance. 

SARAH K. BOLTON, author of a number of books, 
among which is Poor Boys Who Became Famous: 

"Ecclesiastes 9: 10: 'Whatsoever thy hand flndeth to do, 
do it with thy might: for there is no work, nor device, nor 
knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest.' " 
In this connection she gives the motto of the late Princess 
Alice, "Life is for work, not for pleasure." She also adds, 
"If we all felt this, what a different world it would be." 

RUSSELL H. CONWELL, pastor of one of the two 
or three largest churches in America: 
"Ecclesiastes 11: 9." 

When Cromwell took command of the army of the Eng- 
lish Parliament, he ordered all his soldiers to carry a Bible. 
A dissolute young man, who had joined the army for 



82 FAVORITE TEXTS 

plunder and dissipation, had to obey the command. Ordered 
out on a skirmishing party, he was shot at, but unhurt. On 
returning he drew out his Bible, and discovered a bullet 
hole in it. He traced its depths, and found the bullet hole 
had gone as far as the ninth verse of the eleventh chapter of 
Ecclesiastes, which reads: "Rejoice, O young man, in thy 
youth;" etc. He read the verse. The Holy Spirit carried 
the words home to his heart, and he believed on the Lord 
Jesus Christ. 

The tract which was found among the remains of Sir 
John Franklin's ill-fated party contained a text of Scripture 
(Ecclesiastes 12: 1) underscored; and the highest grave 
northward on the face of our earth, the grave of another 
discoverer, bears the cry of David in his penitence. "Wash 
ine, and I shall be whiter than snow." (Psalms 51: 7.) 

What a peculiarly appropriate text to be placed where 
it is always surrounded by snow. 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 83 



CHAPTER VIII. 
ISAIAH AND OTHER PROPHETS. 

Isaiah is called the evangelical prophet and his descrip- 
tion of the Messiah and his kingdom would make a splendid 
prologue or fore-word to the New Testament. Christ quoted 
the prophesy concerning himself in Isaiah 61: 1 and said to 
his friends and neighbors at Nazareth: "This day is this 
scripture fulfilled in your ears." (Luke 4: 21.) A text from 
Isaiah adorned the wall of Gladstone's bedroom. D. L. 
Moody's favorite text and creed were from it. Fanny 
Crosby, the blind hymn writer, claims a text from Isaiah as 
her favorite and has written two hymns from it. H. Price 
Hughes' favorite text is from its pages, while one of the most 
touching incidents in the life of Pansy is closely associated 
with Isaiah 41 : 3. 

DWIGHT L. MOODY'S life motto is said to have 
been Isaiah 50: 7: 

"For the Lord God will help me; 
Therefore shall I not be confounded; 
Therefore have I set my face like a flint, 
And I know that I shall not be ashamed." 

"How that unlocks many a door in the secret chambers 
of this man's biography! his bold assaults on the slums and 
saloons; his even braver assaults on the iron gates of English 
university towns, where the bars of a refined culture, a jeer- 
ing skepticism, and a religious ecclesiasticism united to ex- 
clude him, How it explains his courage in undertaking en- 



84 FAVORITE TEXTS 

terprises that seemed to others hopeless for their discour- 
agements, or gigantic for their dimensions!" 

Mr. Moody said once in reply to a question: " My creed 
is in the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah." 

WILLIAM E. GLADSTONE'S day was opened and 
closed with prayer, and when the cares of state pressed hard 
upon him, he has gone to his "secret closet" many times in 
the course of twenty-four hours. It is a well known fact that 
during a cabinet crisis he went to church no less than three 
times a day. And as if to encourage him to appeal to the 
Almighty for aid at all times, there is this text hanging in 
his bed-room over the mantelpiece: 

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, 
Whose mind is stayed on Thee." (Isaiah 26: 3.) 

BENJAMIN F. BUTLER, attorney-general of the 
United States from 1831 to 1834, said when dying: "I have 
peace, perfect peace. 'Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace 
whose mind is stayed on thee.' " (Isaiah 26: 3.) This peace 
promise is also one of the favorites of Rear Admiral Wat- 
son, U. S. N. 

JAMES L. BARTON, corresponding secretary for the 
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions: 

"Perhaps the text upon which I most often lean is Isaiah 
26:3. This promise has been a wonderful help and comfort 
when every other source failed. Other texts have proven 
equally valuable under different trials and in the face of 
different needs." 

FANNY CROSBY, the blind hymn writer, who has 
probably written more hymns that are in use today than 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 85 

any other modern writer, replied through her friend Ira D. 
Sankey. He says: 

"Her favorite text is Isaiah 41: 13: 'For I the Lord, thy 
Gcd, will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not: 
I will help thee.' She has written two hymns which are 
special favorites of hers, giving expression to the thoughts 
in this text. One is No. 42 in Gospel Hymns 1 to 6: 

All the way my Saviour leads me; 

What have I to ask beside? 
Can I doubt His tender mercy, 

Who through life has been my guide? 
Heavenly peace, divinest comfort, 

Here by faith in Him to dwell! 
For I know whate'er befall me, 

Jesus doeth all things well. 

The other hymn is No. 356 from the same book: 

Hold Thou my hand; the way is dark before me 
Without the sunlight of Thy face divine; 

But when by faith I catch its radiant glory, 
What heights of joy, what rapturous songs are mine! 

Speaking of committing texts to memory she once said: 
"I committed to memory the first four books of the Old 
Testament, also the four Gospels, and these doubtless in- 
fluenced my poetic career to a greater extent than all other 
literature combined." 

ANDRONICUS, Comnenus, usurper and emperor of 
Constantinople, (1110-1185) when he was dying, cried out: 
''Lord, have mercy upon me. Wilt thou break a bruised 
reed?" (Isaiah 42:3.) This was a most inconsistent refer- 
ence, for he put to death Alexis the Second, and so great 



86 FAVORITE TEXTS 

was his cruelty that his own subjects rose in desperation and 
slew him. 

HUGH PRICE HUGHES, editor of the Methodist 
Times, London, and president of the Wesleyan conference 
1898-9, and prominent in philanthropic movements: 

"My favorite text in the Old Testament is Isaiah 43: 25: 
'I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for 
mine own sake.' I emphasize the last clause, 'For mine own 
sake,' as declaring that God forgives us, not as the result of 
any effort of our own, or any merit of our own, but for his 
own sake, because his nature compels him to do his utmost 
to save all sinners, because, in a divine sense, he cannot help 
it. His unchanging and everlasting love compels him to 
do so. 

It is more difficult to speak about the New Testament, 
where there are so many favorite texts. But I think the one 
which I must name is the second part of verse thirty-seven 
in the sixth chapter of John's gospel: 'Him that cometh to 
me I will in no wise cast out' — T will under no circumstances 
reject.' I think that I have quoted that passage more fre- 
quently than any other in the New Testament for the en- 
couragement of those who hesitate to cast themselves upon 
the mercy of God." 



J^tfZ^ t&y£^ 



MAJOR D. W. WHITTLE, well-known evangelist, as- 
sociated with D. L. Moody, and did evangelistic work in 
southern camps during the Spanish war; and writer of the 
words of some of the most spiritual of the Gospel songs: 

" T have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions 
and as a cloud thy sins: return unto me; for I have re- 
deemed thee.' Isaiah 44: 22." * -r» 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 87 

He wrote the words for the Gospel song, Moment by 
Moment, based on Isaiah 27: 3: 

"Never a trial that he is not there, 
Never a burden that he doth not bear, 
Never a sorrow that he doth not share, 
Moment by moment I'm under his care." 

WILLIAM CAREY, the humble cobbler of Moulton, 
England, and the great missionary to India, preached a ser- 
mon at Nottingham in May, 1792, founded on Isaiah 54: 2, 3: 

"Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth 
the curtains of thy habitations: spare not, lengthen thy 
cords, and strengthen thy stakes; for thou shalt break forth 
on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall in- 
herit the gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhab- 
ited." The sermon resulted in the organization of a great 
missionary society for the propagation of the gospel among 
the heathen. He took up the spirit of the passage in two 
exhortations, namely: "Expect great things from God; at- 
tempt great things for God." 

CHARLES N. CRITTENTON, wealthy chemist, who 
has given a large part of his fortune for the establishment of 
rescue homes, and nearly all his time to evangelistic work: 

Sixteen years since, when I consecrated all to the Lord 
God and received the Holy Spirit in His fullness, im- 
mediately I saw the necessity of memorizing God's Word. I 
therefore prayed God to touch my mind that I might retain 
the Word and be able to preach it to others. II Timothy 4: I. 

There are so many passages that are touching and ten- 
der that I can hardly at the present moment say which one 
I love most, but seemingly the one that I have loved and 
which I have used most is Isaiah 53: 5 and 6. 



88 FAVORITE TEXTS 

I remember, about ten years ago, in San Jose, Cal., while 
holding meetings in the Florence Mission, a bright young 
man, under deep conviction, came to the front. We both 
knelt in prayer by the side of a wood-bottom chair and 
quoted over and over these words: "All we like sheep have 
gone astray and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of 
us all." Perhaps I quoted this fifteen or twenty times until, 
finally, the tears were not only pouring down his cheeks, but 
also mine, and there were two puddles of tears on that wood- 
bottom chair. After repeating these words, and he con- 
sidering them, I simply asked him: "Do you believe that?" 
He answered, "Yes;" and then I asked again: "Do you 
believe your sins were laid on Jesus?" After a long time 
he again said, "Yes." Then the next question was: "If your 
sins are laid on Jesus, where are they?" Rising to his feet, 
through his tear-bedimmed face, he began to look around 
through the room, and finally answered, "They are all gone," 
and began to shout praises to God, as the great Burden 
Bearer had borne away all of his sins. 

Only a few weeks afterwards a fine, noble, old, gray- 
haired gentleman, who had come from the East to San Jose 
for his health, heard of the Florence Mission and went there 
to listen to the testimony. Soon a bright-faced, beautiful 
young man rose and was telling the story of how Jesus had 
saved him in the Florence Mission after he had wandered 
away from his Christian home and out upon the dark moun- 
tains of sin, having gone from city to city to the far West, 
and had finally found his mother's Christ in the Florence 
Mission at San Jose. He had hardly closed his testimony 
when he was encircled in the tender embrace of his white- 
headed father. They wept in each other's arms, and not only 
were they weeping, but all in the Mission, while Heaven was 
rejoicing at that grand and glorious scene. About two years 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 89 

afterwards I received a letter from this young man that he 
was then cashier of a bank in Oregon. All glory to Jesus! 
"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul." 
(Psalm 19:7.) 

I have in the last eighteen years seen tens of thousands 
converted to God, thus showing that Psalms 119: 130, also 
Jeremiah 5: 14 and 23: 28 and 29 are all true. 

ANTHONY COMSTOCK, the apostle of purity, having 
destroyed tons of plates of indecent books, and rooted 
licentious literature from many institutions of learning, and 
likened by some of the leading men in the country to the 
apostles of old: 

"It depends upon the mood as to which text stands out 
prominent. As I sit in my tent where I am writing this 
and look out upon the hills, mountains and valleys, I sing 
in my heart: 'O Lord, our Lord how excellent is thy name 
in all the earth. Who hath set thy glory above the heavens.' 
When standing in the place assigned me for duty, and con- 
spiracies to injure my good name, to ridicule and deride me 
before the public; and the assassin's wrath is kindled upon 
me, and ruin and death stare me in the face, my banner text 
overshadows my soul with a halo of peace: 

" 'No weapon formed against thee shall prosper; and 
every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou 
shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the 
Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.' 
(Isaiah 54: 17.) Again: Tear thou not for I am with thee. 
Be not dismayed, for I am thy God.' (Isaiah 41: 10.) For 
nearly twenty-eight years I have been an outpost picket — 
on the danger line — where adverse foes have sought my de- 
struction, but I have never found a single one of the Lord's 
promises to fail. The joy of service is mine. The doing 



90 FAVORITE TEXTS 

of God's will brings gladness and peace. It is the only real 
and lasting joy; more than earthly riches. It is heavenly 
riches and spiritual joy. We do not choose our place as 
soldiers of the cross, any more than a soldier in the field 
assigns himself. Our commander assigns us to duty. His 
orders we are to obey. We always face the forces of un- 
righteousness. 

" 'Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have en- 
tered into the heart of man, the things which God hath pre- 
pared for them that love him.' " (I Corinthians 2: 9.) 



lA^-A^tC 




G. W. ATKINSON, governor of West Virginia 1897- 
1901, author of several books and a volume of poems: 

"I devoted a number of years of my life to the superin- 
tendency of Sunday Schools, and I always insisted that every 
member of the school should thoroughly commit one verse 
and recite the same every Sabbath. The custom created 
greater respect for the Bible, and added very much to one's 
knowledge of the same. Even the committing of one verse 
a week is better than nothing, but to commit a verse a day, 
so as to thoroughly fix it in one's memory, will, in the 
course of a lifetime, cause one to be quite familiar indeed with 
the teachings of the Holy Bible. There are many not only 
instructive, but beautiful chapters in the Bible, but my 
favorite of them all is the fifty-fifth chapter of Isaiah." 

JOHN WESLEY, founder of Methodism, on the 17th 
of February, 1791, fell ill. He nevertheless preached the day 
following upon the words, "The king's business required 
haste," I Samuel 21:8; and also upon the day after. Upon 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 91 

February twenty-third he preached for the last time upon, 
"Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him 
while he is near." Isaiah 55: 6. 

CANON FARRAR once told the following: 
"In the Indian mutiny a little party of English fugitives 
were trying to escape from their foes. Starving, surrounded 
by savage enemies, their one comfort came from a single scrap 
of printed paper wrapped about some native medicine which 
had been brought to them. It happened to be a leaf of the 
book of the prophet Isaiah, and this was the message which 
came to these poor sufferers from heathen hands: Isaiah 
51:9-16. The one thing that sustained them, the one thing 
that enabled them to struggle through the rest of those terri- 
ble sufferings were these few words on that fragment of 
paper." 

An English minister told the following: 

"I was asked to go to a public house in Nottingham to 
see the landlord's wife, who was dying. I found her re- 
joicing in Christ as her Saviour. I asked her how she found 
the Lord. 'R.eading that/ she replied, handing me a torn 
piece of paper. I looked at it and found it was a part of 
an American newspaper, containing an extract from one of 
Spurgeon's sermons, which extract had been the means of 
her conversion. ' Where did you find this newspaper?' I 
asked. 'It was wrapped around a parcel sent to me from 
Australia/ A sermon preached in London, cabled or sent 
to America, and there printed in a newspaper, which was 
sent to Australia, part of it being torn off there for the parcel 
sent to England, which reached the heart of a woman, that 
probably could not easily have been reached in any other 
way, not many miles from where the words were originally 
spoken. What a comment on Isaiah 55: 11." 



92 FAVORITE TEXTS 

MR. GLADSTONE made many a worthy and mem- 
orable declaration, but he could not have borne a more tell- 
ing testimony than when he uttered in a phonograph the 
following sentence, to be repeated in fifty years, in connec- 
tion with the utterances of fifty of the leading men of Eng- 
land: "I owe my life and vigor through a long and busy life 
to the Sabbath day with its blessed surcease of toil." It was 
also a testimony to the verity of Isaiah 58: 13. 

EDWIN MARKHAM, author of The Man With the 
Hoe, one of the few leading poems of the decade, and one 
that has in it the strength of long life: 

"I quote two or three texts that bear on the social Gospel 
of the Bible, something that has been neglected by most of 
our spiritual guides all down the centuries: 

" 'They shall not build, and another inhabit; 

They shall not plant, and another eat. Isaiah 65: 2.' 

" 'And the multitude of them that believed were of one 
heart and one soul; neither said any of them that ought of 
the things which he possessed were his own, but they had 
all things in common. Acts 4: 32.' 

"To the above I should like to add the Sermon on the 
Mount, the Lord's Prayer and the Golden Rule." 




iL^L^ 



H. C. G. MOULE told the following incident: 

In the early days of the electric telegraph some scientific 

men (including I believe the late Professor Sedgwick) were 

eagerly discussing in a railway carriage the new possibilities 

of swift intercourse. One of the company, sitting silent a 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 93 

long while, at last said: "Gentlemen, I know of an even 
quicker method of communion, such that the answer arrives 
before the dispatch of the message." And he met the aston- 
ishment of his friends by repeating, amidst reverent silence, 
the words, "Before they call, I will answer; and while they 
are yet speaking, I will hear." (Isaiah 65: 24.) 

OTHER PROPHETS. 

F. B. MEYER, minister of Christ Church, Westminster, 
1892-1900, in his earlier ministry did a great work for re- 
leased prisoners, recounted in the Bells of Is; also author 
of many devotional books: 

"It is as difficult to select my favorite Bible chapter, as 
it would be to select my favorite star. Perhaps Jeremiah, 
the first chapter had most to do with forming my life; as it 
encouraged me, when a lad, to entertain the thought of en- 
tering the ministry of the Gospel." 



Jitf 7 ****^ 



AUGUSTUS H. STRONG, president of Rochester The- 
ological Seminary, and professor of Biblical theology, 1872- 
1900, author of the Great Poets and their Theology: 

"A text that has been of great service to me is: Jere- 
miah 33:3 — 'Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and will 
show thee great things, which thou knowest not.' There is a 
promise of knowledge and of strength beyond all our natural 
powers, and bestowed by God himself in response to the 
prayers of his people." 

HARRIET PRESCOTT SPOFFORD, author of half 
a dozen books and magazine contributor: 

"One text that has peculiarly appealed to me is Habak- 



94 FAVORITE TEXTS 

kuk 1 : 12 — 'Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord, my God, 
mine Holy One? we shall not die/ with its implication of our 
own necessary immortality. But when there is the splendid 
sixth chapter of Isaiah, the beautiful thirty-fifth, the twenty- 
third Psalms, the 'Come unto me all ye that labor and are 
heavy laden/ the heavenly thirteenth chapter of First Corin- 
thians, one cannot positively choose." 

She has written two beautiful verses, entitled A Promise, 
on Zachariah 8:5: 

When I see at the floodtide of springtime 

The sky with high luster brimming, 
And the little white clouds of heaven 
On a happy west wind swimming; 
And in all the streets of the city, 

The morning about them delaying, 
The fulness of life in their being, 
The boys and girls singing and playing — 

Then I hear an old verse in the Bible, 

With its burden sweet and tender, 
Where the Lord had promised the prophet 

He would come again in his splendor; 
And as though no joy could surpass it, 

Exile and sorrow repaying, 
That then all the streets of the city 

Should be full of boys and girls playing! 

EARL CRANSTON, Bishop Methodist Episcopal 
Church since 1896, publishing agent for that church for 
twelve years, and captain in the civil war: 

" 'He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what 
doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love 
mercy and to walk humbly with thy God?' (Micah 6:8.) 
This text was the basis of my first sermon. I chose it be- 
cause it had at a most critical juncture been used by its 
Author for my reclamation. To his name be glory for- 
ever!" 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 95 

AMOS J. CUMMINGS, congressman-journalist, mem- 
ber of Congress 1887-1901: 

"My favorite text is this: 'And the Lord said unto me, 
Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumb-line." (Amos 
7:8.) Not many may have the favor of a favorite text with 
their name in it, that would prove as applicable, although the 
Peters and Johns and 'Andrews and Pauls might find some- 
thing equally appropriate. Referring to John 3: 16 a famous 
preacher once said that he was glad that it said 'whosoever,' 
for even if the Bible had included his whole name in the 
verse that he would question whether or not there was not 
some one else of the same name. But the man who lives 
according to the Lord's plumb-line is worthy to appropriate 
any text in the scriptures, whether it bears his name or not. 

SIR HENRY FAIRFAX, K. C. B., Admiral of the 
British Navy, commanded the Monarch at the bombardment 
of Alexandria, 1882, and commander of the Channel fleet, 
1892-4: 

Lady Fairfax answers by saying that the text written in 
the Bible belonging to the Admiral was Micah 6: 8. 

JONATHAN EDWARD'S memorial was erected in the 
First Congregational Church at Northampton, Massachusetts, 
on the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of his dismissal 
from the pastorate of that church. The tablet, exquisitely 
wrought in bronze, represents the famous preacher as ad- 
dressing his people, the figure being life size. Following is 
the inscription: 

"In Memory of 
Jonathan Edwards, 
Minister of Northampton 
From February 15, 1727, to June 22, 1750. 
The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was 
not found in his lips: He walked with me in peace and 
uprightness and did turn many away from iniquity.— 
Malachi 2:6." 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 97 



CHAPTER IX. 
MATTHEW— SERMON ON THE MOUNT. 

Moses went up into Mount Sinai to receive the law, and 
Christ went up into a mountain to give the gospel of grace 
and truth to the world. What a marvelous impression his 
words must have made, many of his listeners hearing for the 
first time what would appear to them a new religion, or at 
least a mighty invigoration of the religion they had observed 
under the law. This sermon contains the essence of the four 
gospels, or rather, the four gospels might be called the re- 
sults of the sermon. It was the proclamation of God on 
earth, the giving of the law was the proclamation from 
heaven. When this sermon was preached there were no hos- 
pitals, women were not considered the equal of men — in fact, 
the progress of civilization dates from this sermon, and from 
the day of its delivery men and nations began to live by an- 
other law than the law of force. 

This sermon appeals particularly to propagators of what 
is called the social gospel, Count Tolstoy being probably 
the best known writer on that subject. Ella Wheeler Wil- 
cox and Louise Chandler Moulton quote favorite texts from 
it. Francis Murphy, who has signed the pledge against in- 
toxicants with over 10,000,000 people, and Lillian M. N. 
Stevens, president of the Woman's Christian Temperance 
Union, mention it in their responses. It is believed that 
more people would accept the Sermon on the Mount and 
the Golden Rule as their creed than any other parts of the 
Bible, but while they may seem broad a careful examination 



98 FAVORITE TEXTS 

of them would show that not all who call themselves Chris- 
tians are familiar with the sermon, to say nothing of living 
according to it. Sir John Lubbock, the English author and 
banker, and Clara Barton, the nineteenth century angel of 
mercy to the world, give this sermon the preference over 
other Scriptures. 

COUNT LEO TOLSTOY, Russian novelist and social 
reformer, author of The Kingdom of God Is Within Us, 
The Four Gospels Harmonized, Anna Karanina, etc.: 

"Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteous- 
ness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 
6:33." /p 



The following is given as one of his many kindnesses 
to the poor: During the great Russian famine Count Tol- 
stoy made every effort to relieve sufferings and better the con- 
dition of the unfortunates. One day he passed a beggar on 
the street corner, who stretched out his gaunt hands, asking 
for alms. Tolstoy felt in all his pockets for a coin to bestow 
upon him, but to no purpose, for he had spent all his money, 
and he had nothing to give. Taking the beggar's hand in 
both his, he said kindly: "Do not be angry with me, 
brother; I have nothing with me." The gaunt face lighted 
up; the man lifted his blood-shot eyes; his blue lips parting 
in a smile, as he said: "But you called me brother — that was 
a great gift." (See Matthew 23: 8.) 

O. P. FITZGERALD, Bishop of Methodist Episcopal 
Church South, and author of a number of books: 

"If I have a favorite text it is this: 'Lay up for your- 
selves treasures in heaven , — Matthew 6:20. The reason why 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 99 

I would so call it is that I have been more blessed in preach- 
ing from it and seen more hearers affected thereby, than any 
other." 

HENRY H. HADLEY, head of the Churck Army, and 
temperance evangelist: 

"St. Matthew 6: 33; Philippians 4: 19; St. Matthew 18: 19; 
'I have loved you with an everlasting love,' Jeremiah 31:3; 
and 'Let him that is athirst come,' Revelation 22: 17." 

ELLA WHEELER WILCOX, author and poet: 
" 'Blessed are the peace makers, for they shall be called 
the children of God/ Matthew 5: 9, has always been a favorite 
verse of mine, and also 'He that ruleth his spirit is greater 
than he that taketh a city/ Proverbs 16:32. The first was 
impressed upon my mind by hearing an older person remark 
in my childhood that it applied to me. I was keenly sensitive 
to any dissension or disputes, and was always trying to bring 
an end to them. The second verse I like because life has 
seemed to me one constant and continual struggle to over- 
come self." 




F. A. MARCH, Professor of English, Lafayette Col- 
lege, 1856-1900: 

" 'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.' 
Matthew 5:8. This I have cherished for sixty years as the 
scholar's blessing." 

ROLAND REED, actor, producing comedies of the 
higher class: 

" 'Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.' 
There are so many beautiful thoughts in God's Word that to 

LofCL 



100 FAVORITE TEXTS 

single out one of his teachings I cannot express all that I 
should like. The Psalms is my favorite book in the Bible." 

LAURA ORMISTON CHANT, preacher (undenomina- 
tional), lecturer, composer of many hymns and songs, and 
writer; took relief to Armenian refugees in Bulgaria: 

" 'Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.' 
My two favorite chapters are the twenty-third Psalm and the 
thirteenth of First Corinthians." 

BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX, active promoter of the 
Crusade, 1146, author of many hymns, among them: 
"Jesus, the very thought of Thee 
With sweetness fills my breast." 
His dying words were: "May God's will be done." 
(Matthew 6:10.) 

FRANCIS MURPHY, gospel temperance evangelist, 
over 10,000,000 persons having signed the pledge with him, 
the motto of which was "With charity for all and malice to- 
ward none": 

"The Sermon on the Mount has the first place in my 
heart. It is to me a perennial spring of life, health and 
strength." 




WILLIAM O. McDOWELL, president of the Cuban- 
American League, and organizer of a great many societies, 
revived the idea of an United States University at Wash- 
ington: 

"To me the Sermon on the Mount is the great chapter — 
this as the forerunner of the Declaration of Independence 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 101 

of the United States of America. A quotation repeated to me 
by my mother, 'There is always room in sight for one step 
more,' has been often present with me and helped me over 
the hard places of life." 

SAMUEL M. JONES, mayor of Toledo 1897-1901, 
known as Golden Rule Jones, because that is the only rule 
posted in his factory; advocate of labor reforms, municipal 
ownership, etc. : 

"In early life I did considerable memorizing of Bible 
texts. My parents were Welsh emigrants, who came to this 
country when I w T as three years old. They were very poor 
and very Christian. The Bible was the main book in the 
house. I do not recall that the memorizing of Scripture in 
early life was of much help to me, but in later years I have 
found the philosophy of Jesus respecting social relation very 
helpful indeed. The texts which I most often quote are 
those bearing directly upon the question of our social and 
political relation here and now. I have not time to look 
up the references, but quote them at random from the Sermon 
on the Mount: Love your enemies; Do good to them 
that hate you; Give to every one that asketh of thee; 
Blessed are the peacemakers; Blessed are the merciful; 
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness 
(rightness — that is, to be right, as I understand it), for they 
shall be filled. I believe that love is the only basis upon 
which we can hope to build an enduring state, and I have the 
fullest confidence that all of the necessary government will 
be carried on when the government by violence and force is 
at an end, when the Golden Rule is the supreme law of the 
land. I doubt not that roads will be built, letters carried, and, 
indeed, all of the administrative work of government that will 
aid men to associate in a more perfect fellowship will be done 



102 FAVORITE TEXTS 

equally well, if not better than it is now, under our mixed 
policy composed partly of a belief in the power of the club 
and gun, and with some small degree of faith, perhaps, in 
the Christ philosophy of love/' 

LILLIAN M. N. STEVENS, president of the National 
Woman's Christian Temperance Union: 

''My favorite texts or chapters of the Bible are those 
words spoken by our Lord and Saviour, especially the Ser- 
mon on the Mount. This I learned when I was a little girl 
in the Sabbath School.'' 



s^M^fJfc^? 



M. de ARPINOE, ambassador at Washington, says: 
"I ever read with particular interest and pleasure the doc- 
trine of Jesus our Lord about charity and other virtues in 
Matthew 5, 6, 7. I find there the selection of Christian moral 
teachings." 

Ex-Gov. Wm. J. Stone, of Missouri, and Lars M. Lar- 
son, superintendent of the school for deaf, Santa Fe, N. M., 
mention these chapters as their favorites. 

SIR JOHN LUBBOCK, London banker, author, sci- 
entist and naturalist; his Pleasures of Life have reached 
nearly 300,000 copies: 

"The Sermon on the Mount." His list of the one hun- 
dred best books, has become famous. In it the Bible is given 
the first place. 

LOUISE CHANDLER MOULTON, poet and author 
of children's stories: 

"If one can call any portion of Holy Scripture one's fa- 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 103 

vorite, I think I should say the Sermon on the Mount. At 
least, it is the one I oftenest call to mind." 



e£ 



^7fc^£- 0&U+ 



MARCUS DODS, Free Church Professor of New Tes- 
tament Theology at Edinburgh, and author of a number of 
expository books, says that he has no favorite chapters, but 
thinks the most suitable for committing to memory are the 
Sermon on the Mount, the Parables, and several chapters of 
John. 

LUCIEN C. WARNER, chairman of the International 
Committee of the Young Men's Christian Association and 
prominent manufacturer: 

"As a boy in Sunday School, I memorized many chap- 
ters of the Bible, mostly from the gospels, but including a 
few Psalms. These have been a never-failing source of com- 
fort to me. Christ's Sermon on the Mount seems to me to 
embody the most practical wisdom to be found in any three 
consecutive chapters." 

ROBERT B. SMITH, governor of Montana, 1899-1900: 
"I think Christ's Sermon on the Mount the most con- 
soling and best sentiment in the Bible." 

JOAQUIN MILLER, author of Songs of the Sierras, 
and many other poems and plays: 

"The Sermon on the Mount by all means. It is the song 
of civilization, the source of conquest, the purest, truest, sub- 
limest poem ever uttered." 



^-^S>^"-~- 



104 FAVORITE TEXTS 

ANNA A, GORDON, vice-president of the National 
Woman's Christian Temperance Union, and private secretary 
to the late Frances E. Willard: 

"I believe the young should be encouraged to commit 
Scriptures to memory, and it was my good fortune to have 
this teaching from my father and mother in my childhood. 
Hence I can still repeat many of the inspiring and beautiful 
Psalms and hundreds of comforting texts. I read the oftenest 
the first twelve verses of the fifth chapter of Matthew, the 
last chapter of Revelation and the thirteenth of First Corin- 
thians, the twenty-third and one hundred and twenty-first 
Psalms. 

JOSEPH WHEELER, congressman, soldier, planter, 
lawyer, senior cavalry general of the Confederate armies in 
civil war, and senior officer in the field at the battle of San 
Juan, Spanish war: 

"To my mind, Christ's Sermon on the Mount, and the 
thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians, embrace the essen- 
tial principles of Christian living." 



W&fcL UH/mI^ 



J. W. BASHFORD, president Ohio Wesleyan University 
1889-1900, and author of Science of Religion: 

"My favorite text for years was: 'Blessed are the pure 
in heart, for they shall see God.' During recent years I have 
been more desirous of realizing the closing words of Christ: 
'I have finished the work thou gavest me to do.' " (John 
17:4.) 

NEWELL DWIGHT HILLIS' secretary answered that 
Mr. Hillis' favorite passages of Scripture were the Beatitudes, 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 105 

the third, fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth chapters of John, 
and the fifteenth chapter of First Corinthians. 

MASSILLON, preaching from Matthew 5: 4, before 
Louis XIV, King of France, said: "If the world addressed 
your majesty from this place the world would not say 'Blessed 
are they that mourn,' but 'Blessed is the prince who has never 
fought but to conquer; who has filled the universe with his 
name; who, through the whole course of a long and flourish- 
ing reign, enjoys in splendor all that men admire — extent of 
conquest, the esteem of his enemies, the love of his people, 
the wisdom of his laws.' But, sire, the language of the Gos- 
pel is not the language of the world." He was made Bishop 
of Clermont for his faithful and eloquent preaching before 
the king. 

JAMES N. FITZGERALD, bishop of the Methodist 
Church since 1888, formerly a lawyer: 

"Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God." 
(Matthew 5:8.) 

JOHN W. LEONARD, editor of Who's Who in Amer- 
ica, also editor of the organ of the National Christian Citizen- 
ship League: 

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." 

GEORGE D. HERRON, professor for seven years of 
the department of Applied Christianity in Iowa College, and 
lecturer upon Christianity as applied to social problems: 

"Matthew 5:43, 48." 

M. S. BONNIFIELD, chief justice of the Supreme 
Court, Nevada: 

"Matthew 6:9-13." 

S. R. FRANKLIN, rear admiral U. S. Navy, spending 
nearly forty-six years of his service at sea: 



106 FAVORITE TEXTS 

"There are many sublimely beautiful and helpful texts. 
A favorite of mine is: 'Sufficient unto the. day is the evil 
thereof/ " 

JOHN RANDOLPH, American orator, 1773-1833, dis- 
tinguished for his powers of sarcasm, said: "I should have 
been an atheist had it not been for one recollection; and that 
is the memory of the time when my mother used to take my 
little hand in hers, and cause me, on my knees to say: 'Our 
Father which art in Heaven.' " (Matthew 6: 9.) 

SIR EDWARD COKE, Lord Chief Justice of England, 
prosecutor of Essex and Raleigh, said when dying: "Thy 
Kingdom come, Thy will be done." (Matthew 6: 10.) 

HERRICK JOHNSON, clergyman educator, and presi- 
dent of the Presbyterian Board of Education and Board of 
College Aid, said: "The Christian that does not believe in 
foreign missions does not believe in the Lord's Prayer." He 
also adds: "The Christian that does not believe in foreign 
missions does not believe in the Doxology in Long Metre. 
Repeat it and see. The Christian that does not believe in 
foreign missions in this generation, believes that three hun- 
dred more millions of the heathen world ought to die before 
we tell them of Jesus Christ." 

THOMAS CARLYLE, commenting once upon the 
Lord's Prayer, said: 

" 'Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy 
name, thy will be done.' What else can we say? The other 
night, in my sleepless tossings about, which were growing 
more and more miserable, these words, that brief and grand 
prayer, came strangely into my mind, with an altogether new 
emphasis, as if written and shining for me in mild pure splen- 
dor, on the black bosom of the night there; when I, as it 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 107 

were, read them word by word, with a sudden check to my 
imperfect wanderings, with a sudden softness of composure 
which was much unexpected. Not for perhaps thirty or forty 
years had I once formally repeated that prayer; nay, I never 
felt before how intensely the voice of man's soul it is; the 
inmost aspiration of all that is high and pious in poor hu- 
man nature; right worthy to be recommended with an 'After 
this manner pray ye/ " 

LEN. G. BROUGHTON, pastor Tabernacle Baptist 
Church, Atlanta: 

"The one favorite text of mine in all the Word of God 
is Matthew 6: 33, 'Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and his 
righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.' 
This is a favorite of mine, because: First, it reveals to me 
the great fact that God has a plan for the enrichment of his 
own people. Second, that his plan is better than ours. Third, 
my own experience has tested the value of this plan." 

HENRY MITCHELL MacCRACKEN, chancellor of 
New York University, and editor of Lives of Church Lead- 
ers, also gives Matthew 6: 33 as his favorite text. 

PAULINUS, when he was told that the Goths had 
sacked Nola and plundered him of all he had, lifted up his 
eyes to heaven and said: "Lord, thou knowest where I have 
laid up my treasure." (Matthew 6:20, 21.) 

A lady was once visiting at the house of a minister, who 
had two sons; these two little boys were amusing themselves 
with some beautiful toys. The lady, on seeing them, said: 
"Well, boys, are these your treasures?" "No, ma'am," said 
the elder, "these are not our treasures; these are our play- 
things. Our treasures are in heaven." (Matthew 6:20, 21.) 

ELLA HIGGINSON, author and contributor to maga- 
zines: 



108 FAVORITE TEXTS 

"My favorite text is 'Judge not,' without the five words 
which follow. (Matthew 7: 1.) We should refrain from 
judging others, not through any fear of being judged in re- 
turn, but simply because it is wrong. The most beautiful 
thing in the Bible is the Sermon on the Mount; the most 
poetic, the Song of Songs, which is Solomon's." 

S. M. ZWEMER, missionary, Bahrain, Arabia, says 
that Matthew 7:7 is his favorite verse, and Psalm 51 is his 
favorite chapter. 

CLARA BARTON, president American Red Cross, 
since organization 1881, did relief work on battlefields of civil 
war, and laid out grounds for national cemetery, and has 
done relief work at all the principal wars, disasters and 
famines since: 

"Between the covers of that good Book nothing more 
wholesome or better for general application than Matthew 
7: 12. 'Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men 
should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law 
and the prophets.' " * 

Finding it impossible to reach the Cubans during the 
Spanish war before the American army landed Miss Barton 
was allowed to visit and relieve the people and crews of the 
captured Spanish vessels, twenty-two in all, in Key West 
harbor. The surprise and joy of the poor people on these 
ships, at this unexpected help from their enemies, and the 
relief afforded them in food and other comforts, were graphi- 
cally told by Mr. Kennan in the Outlook. 

One poor fellow gesticulated and talked profusely, point- 
ing to the sky. When asked what he said, the interpreter 
replied: "He says that if they were prisoners up in heaven, 
they could not be better treated than they have been here." 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 109 



CHAPTER X. 
MATTHEW— Continued. 

The author of Twenty Years on the Afghan Border tells 
us that an Afghan (who afterwards became a faithful Chris- 
tian helper in Peshawar) on a visit to Calcutta heard an 
Englishman preach there in the bazar. 

The sermon was in Hindustani, and to the Afghan entire- 
ly unintelligible. But there was one word which the speaker 
repeated over and over, a word common to all Oriental lan- 
guages — araam, rest or peace. (Matthew 11:28.) The word 
awakened longings in the heathen soul, as it does everywhere 
today, in the haunts of vice and crime and in great seats of 
learning and wisdom. The dark stranger sought out the Eng- 
lish preacher and with the aid of an interpreter, learned that 
he had been preaching from the text, "Come unto me all ye 
that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." 
(araam). And guided by that first word the Afghan was 
brought to Christ. 

FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS, English poet and 
author of Hymns for Children, said when dying: "I feel as if 
I were sitting with Mary at the feet of my Redeemer, hearing 
the music of his voice, and learning of Him to be meek and 
lowly." (Matthew 11:29.) 

JAMES C. BREWITT, president of the United Method- 
ist Free Churches, 1899, of Cleckheaton, England: 

"The two following are as prominent with me as any: 
Matthew 11: 28-30 and I Thessalonians 5: 9-10." 



110 FAVORITE TEXTS 

WILLIAM E. MASON, United States Senator from 
Illinois: 

"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, 
and I will give you rest. For my yoke is easy, and my burden 
is light." (Matthew 11: 28 and 30.) 

WILLIAM C. MAYBURY, Mayor of Detroit, and also 
Democratic nominee for Governor of Michigan, 1900: 

"I wish my memory was stored with more texts from the 
best of Books than it is. This one has always struck me 
with peculiar favor: 'Come unto me, all ye that labor and are 
heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' (Matthew 11:28.) 
I heard the late Dwight L. Moody preach from that text on 
one occasion, many years ago; and I have never lost the 
impression which that splendid man and his words made 
upon me. I recollect how he emphasized the word ALL. 
He said to his audience: Note how the invitation is, first, 
Come; the expressive word Come. That is followed by ALL 
YE. He said, I like that word ALL; it seems to answer so 
much; there can be no inquiry or doubt upon the part of any- 
body as to who is meant when the word All holds its place 
in that sentence. He illustrated, in his own peculiar way, the 
forceful words of the text; and it has therefore stood with 
me, among other expressive texts, as one of my favorites. 5 ' 

The hapless Elizabeth, daughter of Charles L, a captive 
pining away in Carisbrooke Castle, was found dead one morn- 
ing, her head upon the Bible, open at the sentence, whose 
bidding she had gladly obeyed: ''Come unto me, all ye that 
labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Her 
brief and broken journey was over. (Matthew 11:28.) 

WILBUR F. CRAFTS, superintendent of the Reform 
Bureau, and author of Before the Lost Arts and The Sabbath 
for Man: 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. Ill 

" 'In this place is one greater than the temple.' Twelve 
plain men with Christ out in the fields were a stronger church 
than the great temple with all its architecture and ritual with- 
out him." (Matthew 12: 6.) 

ALFRED THE GREAT retreated to Athelney in Som- 
ersetshire after the defeat of his forces by the Danes. A 
beggar came to his little castle there and requestd alms; when 
his queen informed him that they had only one small loaf re- 
maining, which was insufficient for themselves and their 
friends, who were gone abroad in quest of food, though with 
little hope of success. The king replied, "Give the poor 
Christian one-half of the loaf. He who could feed the five 
thousand men with five loaves and two small fishes can cer- 
tainly make that half of the loaf suffice for more than our 
necessities." Accordingly, the poor man was relieved, and 
this noble act of charity was soon recompensed by a provi- 
dential store of fresh provisions, with which his people re- 
turned. (Matthew 14:21.) 

WILLIAM M'KINLEY, President of the United States, 
1896-1900, replied through his secretary that so many passages 
in the Bible appealed to him in the sense concerning the in- 
quiry, that it was difficult to state which one had been the 
most helpful. He made the same reply to Dr. Manchester, 
his home pastor, who made a personal request. 

An old friend of the president's who had been with him 
many times and accompanied him on all his campaigns said: 
"I have never known him to go to his bed until he read from 
his Bible and had knelt in prayer." The pastor under whom 
the president began his religious life says that in his first 
statement after he became a member of the church, he made 
mention of the text, Matthew 13:46, saying: "I have found 
the pearl of great price." 



112 FAVORITE TEXTS 

Speaking of preaching, Mr. McKinley once said: "I like 
to hear the minister preach the plain, simple gospel — Christ 
and him crucified." (I Corinthians 2: 2.) 

DR. MOFFATT, the well-known missionary, after his 
arrival in Africa, stopped at the farm house of a wealthy 
Boer with many slaves. The farmer, hearing he was a mis- 
sionary, gave him a hearty welcome, and proposed in the 
evening that he should hold a service. "But where are the 
servants?" asked Moffatt. "Servants? What do you mean?" 
"I mean the Hottentots, of whom I saw so many on your 
farm." "Hottentots, you want them? Let me rather go to 
the mountains and call the baboons if you want a congrega- 
tion of that sort; or, stop, my sons will call the dogs which 
lie in front of the door, they will do." The missionary quiet- 
ly dropped an attempt which threatened a wrathful ending 
and began the service. The psalm was sung, the prayer of- 
fered, and the preacher read the story of the Syrophoenician 
woman, particularly emphasizing these words, "Truth, Lord, 
but the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from the master's 
table." (Matthew 15:27.) He had not spoken many min- 
utes when the voice of the farmer was heard. "Will Mynheer 
wait a little? He shall have the Hottentots." The motley 
crowd trooped in, many who probably had never been within 
the door of their master's house, and many more who had 
never heard the voice of a preacher. The service over and 
the astonished Hottentots dispersed, the farmer turned to his 
guest and said: "My friend, you took a hard hammer, and 
you have broken a hard head." 

BENJAMIN F. LEE, Bishop of the African Methodist 
Episcopal Church: 

"It is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, 
that one of these little ones should perish." (Matthew 18: 14.) 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 113 

DANNECKER, the German sculptor, occupied eight 
years upon a marble statue of Christ. When he had labored 
two years the work was apparently finished. He called into 
his studio a little girl, and directing her attention to the 
statue, asked her, "Who is that?" She replied, "A great 
man." The artist turned away disheartened. His artistic eye 
had been deceived. He had failed, and his two years of labor 
were thrown away. But he began anew; and after several 
years had passed, he again invited a child into his studio, and 
repeated the inquiry, "Who is that?" This time he was not 
disappointed. After looking in silence for awhile, her curi- 
osity deepened into awe and thankfulness, and, bursting into 
tears, she said in low and gentle tones, "Suffer little children 
to come unto me." It was enough; the untutored instinct 
of the child had divined his meaning, and he knew that his 
work was a success. (Matthew 19: 14.) 

W. H. P. FAUNCE, president of Brown University, for- 
merly pastor Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, New York: 

"No passage of Scripture is oftener with me than Mat- 
thew 20:20-28. The mother's affection and ambition for her 
boys, the easy confidence of . the two sons, the deep note 
struck by the Master in reply, his utter reversal of Roman 
and Jewish standards as he unfolded the nature of true great- 
ness — all these things form a picture of great beauty and a les- 
son of priceless value. 'Not to be ministered unto, but to 
minister.' There is no saying of Christ's that we as individ- 
uals and as a nation need to ponder more than that." 

Matthew 21:22 was the text which gave the officers of 
the Y. M. 0. A. at Canton, O., the faith to attempt to raise 
$50,000 in 1888 for a building. W. H. Parker was the secre- 
tary, and relying on prayer and this promise they succeeded. 



114 FAVORITE TEXTS 

HENRY L. WILSON, U. S. minister to Chile, gave 
Matthew 22:21 as his favorite text. 

EDWARD EVERETT HALE, author of In His Name, 
and one of the leading divines of his denomination: 

"Writing as I receive your note, I should give you the 
four texts: Matthew 22:37, 39, Deuteronomy 4:29, Philip - 
pians 3: 13, Galatians 6:2." 



dS&A & /£*-£< 



SIR G. S. NARES, vice admiral British Navy, entering 
the navy in 1846; commanded the Challenger and an arctic 
expedition, 1875-76: 

" Matthew 22:39 — 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy- 
self/ " 

WHAT THINK YOU? 

The following is a translation from the Spanish: 

"Pharisees, with what have ye to reproach Jesus?" 

"He eateth with publicans and sinners." 

"Is this all?" 

"Yes." 

"And you, Caiaphas, what say you of him?" 

"He is guilty; he is a blasphemer because he said: 'Here- 
after shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of 
power and coming in the clouds of heaven.' " 

"Pilate, what is your opinion?" 

"I find no fault in this man." 

"And you, Judas, who have sold your Master for silver — 
have you some fearful charge to hurl against him?" 

"I have sinned; in that I have betrayed the innocent 
blood," 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 115 

"And you, centurion and soldiers, who led him to the 
cross, what have you to say against him?" 

"Truly this was the Son of God." 

"And you, demons?" 

"He is the Son of God." 

"John Baptist, what think you of Christ?" 

"Behold the Lamb of God." 

"And you, John the Apostle?" 

"He is the bright and morning star." 

"Peter, what say you of your Master?" 

"Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." 

"And you, Thomas?" 

"My Lord and my God." 

"Paul, you have persecuted him; what testify you of 
him?" 

"I count all things but loss for the excellency of the 
knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord." 

"Angels of heaven, what think ye of Jesus?" 

"Unto you is born a Savior, which is Christ the Lord." 

"And thou, Father in Heaven, who knowest all things?" 

"This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." 

Reader, what think you of Christ? (Matthew 22: 42.) 

POWERFUL WORDS. 
With your mind full of great Bible houses; of eight 
thousand Bibles per day going out of their doors, in all lan- 
guages, to all parts of the earth; of three great presses in 
England alone, which last year printed six millions of Bibles 
and parts of Bibles, for Christian worship — with all these in 
your mind you gaze at the simple words which were pro- 
nounced on the Mount of Olives in Palestine, nearly nine- 
teen hundred years ago: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, 
but my words shall not pass away." (Matthew 24: 35.) Nine- 



116 FAVORITE TEXTS 

teen hundred years ago these words were merely spoken — 
not written, or imperishably recorded in any way. And nine- 
teen hundred years afterwards they dominate the social system 
and the lives of one hundred and fifty millions of the world's 
most advanced peoples. — McClure's Magazine. 

Archbishop Cranmer's edition of the Bible was printed 
in 1538, and fixed to a desk in all parochial churches. The 
ardor with which men flocked to read it was incredible. They 
who could procured it; and they who could not, crowded 
to read it, or to' hear it read in churches, where it was com- 
mon to see little assemblies of mechanics meeting together 
for that purpose after the labor of the day. Many even learned 
to read in their old age, that they might have the pleasure 
of instructing themselves from the Scriptures. (Matthew 
24:35.) 

When Dr. Johnson seemed overfearful as to his future, 
Boswell said to him: "Think of the mercy of your Savior." 
"Sir," replied Johnson, "my Savior has said that he will place 
some on his right hand, and some on his left." (Matthew 
25:33.) 

In the life of John Falk, the German philanthropist, 
founder of the "Society of Friends in Need" in Germany, 
there is an interesting incident related of one of the scholars 
in the orphan school connected with that society. It was the 
time of the evening meal, and when one of the boys had said 
the pious grace, "Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest, and bless 
what thou hast provided," a little fellow looked up and said. 
"Do tell me why the Lord Jesus never comes." "Dear child, 
only believe and you may be sure he will come; for he does 
not despise our invitation." "I shall set him a seat," said the 
little fellow; and just then there was a knock at the door. A 
poor frozen apprentice entered, begging a night's lodging. 
He was made welcome; the chair stood empty for him. Every 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 117 

child wanted him to have his plate; and one was lamenting 
that his bed was too small for the stranger, who was quite 
touched by such uncommon attentions. The little one had 
been thinking hard all the time. "Jesus could not come, and 
so he sent this poor man in his place — is that it?" "Yes, dear 
child; that is just it. Every piece of bread and every drink of 
water that we give to the poor, or the sick, or the prisoners, 
for Jesus' sake, we give to him." (Matthew 25: 41, 43.) 

Three little German children, six, eight and ten years of 
age, were about to leave their home, to come alone to this 
country, where they were to meet their parents. An old 
friend of the family, who was helping them in the arrange- 
ments for their departure, took a little book and wrote in it 
their destination, and a sentence in German, French and Eng- 
lish. He said to them: "Children, if you get into any diffi- 
culty, stand still, open this book, and hold it up where people 
can see it." They sailed from Liverpool to New York, went 
a thousand miles west, and found friends everywhere. When- 
ever they were in trouble, or any difficulty confronted them, 
they opened their little book and held it up so that people 
might see what was written there. One look was enough. 
What was the sentence written there? Was it something from 
the German Emperor? Was it the password of some great 
secret society? No. It was this: "Inasmuch as ye have done 
it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it 
unto me." (Matthew 25:40.) That sentence took them 
through Germany. It took them through England. It took 
them through New York, and a thousand miles of America. 
It took them everywhere. 



118 FAVORITE TEXTS 



CHAPTER XI. 
MARK. 

Mark should be the business and workingman's gospel, 
for it is full of action and tells what Jesus did rather than what 
he said. Glance over its pages and you will find "straight- 
way, come, go, went, sent. ,, The information was no doubt 
given by Peter to Mark, who it is said accompanied the apos- 
tle to Rome. Eusebius says that the Roman Christians were 
not satisfied with hearing alone, but w r anted a record of the 
teaching. Mark evidently objected, for it is said that they did 
not cease their solicitations until they had prevailed with the 
man, and they thus became the means of that history which 
ir. called the gospel according to Mark. The energy expressed 
in the book would be in accord with Peter's characteristics. 
It is only about one-half the length of the other gospels. 

Among those influenced in the past by texts from Mark 
were Francis Xavier, the greatest of Catholic missionaries; 
Francis Assissi, Cowper the poet, and Daniel Webster. 
Among those of the present who quote it are Hudson Tay- 
lor, at the head of the greatest single missionary enterprise of 
the century; Brigadier-General Anderson, and Walter Wyck- 
off, author of The Workers. 

An incident illustrating the difference between the sym- 
pathy of Christ and the sympathy of the world deserves to be 
widely known. It occurred in the life of Mrs. Pigott, a mis- 
sionary of the China Inland Mission, better known, perhaps, 
as the author of the hymn which begins : 

"Jesus! I am resting, resting, 
In the joy of what thou art, 
I am finding out the greatness 
Of thy loving heart. ,, 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 119 

In her earlier life, when she was Miss Kemp, she was 
reading the Bible to a group of blind men on Drake street, 
Rockdale, England. When she had read Mark 8: 23— "And 
he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the 
town," one of her blind hearers said quickly: "Read that 
again." Miss Kemp read again, "And he took the blind man 
by the hand, and led him out of the town." "Read it again," 
once more cried the blind man. Again it was read. "Does it 
say that he took him by the hand?" "Yes, by the hand." 
"Well," commented the poor man, "that is strange. I am not 
treated that way. When I ask, people to lead me across the 
street they always take me by the sleeve." 

THOMAS M. ANDERSON, brigadier-general U. S. A., 
and major-general of volunteers: 

"The text that is most firmly fixed in my mind by cir- 
cumstance you will find in Mark 8:36: 'For what shall it 
profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his 
own soul?' I once had an intimate friend who was rich and 
successful yet committed suicide. I thought of the text then 
and many times since, when I have seen piles of human dead 
on battlefields." 

MRS. J. FAIRLEY DALY, of Glasgow, Scotland, and 
missionary to India, told the following at the Ecumenical 
Conference, 1900: 

"I want to tell you," she said, "of a chiefs daughter in 
my district in India, v/ho was induced to come to the primary 
school. She remained there for two years. When she came 
back to her native village she was asked what she had learned, 
and on expressing a promise to tell her people of what her 
teachings had consisted the whole village turned out that 
night to hear her. She knew only the gospel of St. Mark, 



120 FAVORITE TEXTS 

and to that vast assemblage of women she read the Word 
night by night. 

"They were so interested that they asked her to read it to 
them again, and she did so. This went on many times, and 
when, some time later, a missionary came into the district 
he found forty persons ready to receive the gospel and to en- 
ter his class." 

"Since I began," said Dr. Payson when a student, "to 
beg God's blessing on my studies, I have done more in one 
week than in the whole year before." Luther, when most 
pressed with his gigantic toils, "I have so much to do that I 
cannot get along without three hours a day of praying." Gen. 
Havelock rose at four, if the hour for marching was six, 
rather than lose the precious privilege of communion with 
God before setting out. Sir Matthew Hale said: "If I omit 
praying and reading God's Word, in the morning, nothing 
goes well all day." (Mark 1: 35.) 

There was a young Spanish noble at the University of 
Paris named Francis Xavier. While Loyola (the founder of 
the order of The Society of Jesus) was studying at the uni- 
versity he came in contact with him. He watched him, read 
his mind and character, and then set himself to work to make 
him his own. Xavier sought fame and applause, and just as 
he got it, Loyola would come in his way with the solemn 
question, "What shall it profit if a man gain the whole world 
and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36.) Loyola would help 
him to new triumphs, but as often as they came there would 
come to him again from Loyola the solemn question, "What 
shall it profit?" At last the proud spirit of the Spanish noble 
yielded to the spell. Xavier became a disciple of Loyola; 
rivalled him in austerities, and ere long became the mission- 
ary of the society, carrying his cross, his Bible, breviary and 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 121 

wallet to India and the Indian isles, even to Japan and China, 
till at last he laid down his life after eleven long years of 
heroic labor, stretched on the sand of the seashore of a lonely 
island. 

DANIEL WEBSTER'S testimony to his belief in Jesus 
Christ may be seen and read by anyone who cares to visit 
Marshfield, Mass., and the burial place of the great states- 
man. He lies buried half a mile back of his house, by the 
side of his wife and three children. His tomb is entirely un- 
pretentious, being of rough granite with a sod roof. Webster 
dictated his own epitaph on the day before his death. It is 
as follows: 

DANIEL WEBSTER, 

Born January 18, 1782; Died October 24, 1852. 
"Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." (Mark 9: 24.) 
Philosophical argument, especially that drawn from the vast- 
ness, in comparison with the apparent insignificance of 
this globe, has sometimes shaken my reasons for the 
faith which is in me, but my heart has always assured and 
reassured me that the gospel of Jesus Christ must be a 
Divine reality. The Sermon on the Mount cannot be 
a mere human production. This belief enters into the 
very depths of my conscience. The whole history of 
man proves it. 

"One thing thou lackest; go thy way, sell whatever thou 
hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in 
heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow me." (Mark 
10:21.) These were the words which moved Francis of As- 
sissi to act literally on them, with the mightiest spiritual re- 
sults while his followers kept to his spirit. 



122 FAVORITE TEXTS 

WALTER A. WYCKOFF, author of The Workers, a 
book giving his experience as a young college man, who 
without money started out and worked at any kind of labor 
that offered, making his way across the country from the east 
to the west, in order that he might study the condition of the 
laboring man and the unemployed; since then Princeton pro- 
fessor: 

"'My favorite text of scripture is in the tenth chapter of 
Saint Mark's gospel and the forty-fifth verse, 'For even the 
Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, 
and to give his life a ransom for many.' " 

In his book he gives the following experience with a 
handsome, strong young lumberman that had attracted him. 
His name was Dick, and he had told in the camp that he was 
going to walk to the railroad, and then beat his way to a 
camp farther west, where he could make more money. But 
the men all knew that the saloons and brothels at Williams- 
port would get all his money. Wyckoff could not endure the 
idea and went out to the mountain road to wait for Dick 
to pass. After walking some distance with him, he told him 
frankly what he had) in mind. 

"Say, Buddy, you're a sky pilot, ain't you?" 

"Perhaps I had no right to ask it upon so slight an 
acquaintance; but as there was little prospect of my ever 
seeing him again, I asked him if he felt no sense of wrong 
in using lightly the name of the Almighty." 

I can see him now as he stood against the blackness of 
the forest under the clear, still stars, and answered me, with 
protest in his eyes and voice: 

"By the Eternal, Buddy, I ain't swore for a month! May 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 123 

the Infinite consign me to the torture of all fiends, if I've 
swore for a month! That? Oh, that ain't nothing; that's 
the way that us fellows talk. If you live in camp long enough, 
Buddy, you'll hear a man swear." 

His face was even more attractive in its expression of 
manly seriousness when he stood on the roadside at part- 
ing, and he put a firm hand on my shoulder, and fixed clear 
eyes on mine, as he told me, in his frank, open way, that he 
wanted to make a man of himself and not to be a drunken 
sot, and that, in this new venture before him, he would hon- 
estly try, and would ask for help. 

WILLIAM COWPER, the poet, speaking of his dis- 
tressing convictions, says: "One moment I thought myself 
shut out from mercy by one chapter, and the next by an- 
other. The sword of the Spirit seemed to guard the tree of 
life from my touch, and to flame against me in every avenue 
by which I attempted to approach it. I particularly remem- 
ber that the parable of the barren fig tree was to me an in- 
conceivable source of anguish; and I applied it to myself, with 
a strong persuasion in my mind that when our Savior pro- 
nounced a curse upon it, he had me in his eye, and pointed 
that curse directly at me." (Mark 11: 21, 22.) 

J. HUDSON TAYLOR, founder and director of the 
China Inland Mission, under which some nine hundred mis- 
sionaries and six hundred native helpers work: 

" 'Have faith in God'— Mark 11: 22. Literally, 'Hold, or 
reckon on God's faithfulness.' " 



Lrfi+^J-**^ 7eo^rV 



HARRY KELLAR, who has travelled all over the world 
as a magician and illusionist: 

"Mark 12: 30, 31, and the twenty-third Psalm." 

THOMAS PAINE, who resided in Bordentown, N. J., 



124 FAVORITE TEXTS 

was one day passing the residence of Dr. Staughton, when 
the latter was sitting at the door. Paine stopped, and after 
some remarks of a general character, observed: "Mr. Staugh- 
ton, what a pity it is that a man has not some comprehensive 
and perfect rule for the government of his life." The doctor 
replied: "Mr. Paine, there is such a rule." "What is that?" 
Paine inquired. Dr. S. repeated the passage, "Thou shalt 
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbor 
as thyself." (Mark 12:30, 31.) Abashed and confounded, 
Paine replied: "Oh, that's in your Bible," and immediately 
walked away. 

WILLIAM F. McDOWELL, formerly chancellor of 
University of Denver, replied that he had no favorite; that 
the peculiar glory of the Bible, in his experience, was that 
it had something which exactly suited him every day. In one 
of his addresses he tells the following: 

"The old Jews had a beautiful legend that the true pro- 
nunciation of the name of Jehovah had been lost and that the 
secrets of the universe and forces of nature would be in pos- 
session of whoever rediscovered it. One day there did come 
one who did say 'Abba, Father,' with the true filial accent, 
and the winds and the waves obeyed him. Earth and air, sea 
and seasons, became his servants. Storms did not hinder, 
they but furthered his deep and noble design." (Mark 14: 36, 
and Matthew 8:27.) 

THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON once asked a clergy- 
man: "How are you getting on with the propagation of the 
gospel abroad? Is there 1 any chance of the Hindoos becom- 
ing Christians?" To which the clergyman replied: "Oh, no; 
I do not see anything doing there; I see no reason to suspect 
any work of the kind being successful." "Well," said the 
Duke, "what have you to do with that? What are your 
marching orders? Are they not 'Go ye into all the world, and 
preach the gospel to every creature?' Do your duty, sir, and 
never mind results." (Mark 16: 15.) 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 125 



CHAPTER XII. 
LUKE— THE GOLDEN RULE. 

The latitude of observers of the Golden Rule, or those 
who at least regard it as their favorite Scripture, seems to 
have a wide range — from those known as very spiritual to 
those who are not generally regarded as having particular 
interest in religious matters — even to that very able represen- 
tative of the Chinese empire — Wu Ting Fang. The Golden 
Rule is regarded by some as a very easy measure to live by, 
and there is an inclination not to consider very high in 
Christian experience those who claim that it is all the rule 
they need, but there may be and no doubt is a very grave 
mistake made in this. Of course, some men whose lives 
would not measure many inches according to this rule claim 
that it is all the religion that they need. But the fact is that 
no one can observe this rule even in a small degree that has 
their life centred upon themselves, and few men have been 
able to live unselfish lives, unless they drink somewhat more 
deeply than this of the teachings of the one who gave the 
rule. That so many give testimony to its influence on their 
lives is a strong proof that there is a great deal more of 
unselfishness in life than we are sometimes apt to think. 

WU TING FANG, Chinese ambassador to the United 
States: 

"In reply I have to say that I find a whole system of 
morality in the Sermon on the Mount. I may add that there 
is a common ground on which the ethical system of Confu- 
cius and the religious system of Christ are able to meet. 



126 FAVORITE TEXTS 

'Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should 
do to you, do ye even so to them/ says Christ. 'Do not unto 
others what ye would not that others should do unto you/ 
says Confucius. Scholars may split hairs as to which is the 
negative and which is the positive forms. To me, at least, 
both sayings convey only one and the same meaning. It is 
the 'Golden Rule' both to the Chinese and to the Americans." 



r/^ ^yY^y^, 



REAR ADMIRAL L. A. BEARDSLEE, United States 
Navy : 

"My favorite text is, and has been as long as I can re- 
member, the Golden Rule — Do unto others as you would that 
they should do unto you. There have occurred through a long 
life, during most of which I have been placed in positions of 
power, responsibility and authority, incidents beyond num- 
ber, which have indicated to me that my choice was a wise 

CHARLES DUDLEY WARNER, author of Back-log 
Studies, editor of The Study in Harper's Magazine and of 
The Library of the World's Best Literature: 

"The Golden Rule suits me very well." 

The editor of the Youth's Companion wrote: 

"Wholly apart from its religious and ethical value, the 
Bible is the one Book of which no intelligent person can af- 
ford to be ignorant. As Charles Dudley Warner says: Tt is 
not a question of theology or dogma; it is a question of gen- 
eral intelligence.' " 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 127 

CHARLES D. SIGSBEE, Captain United States Navy, 
and in command of the United States ship Maine when blown 
up at Havana, well-known for his courtesy and tact: 

"The Golden Rule, Luke 6: 31, by itself alone is a code of 
morals and of courtesy." 



DONALD G. MITCHELL (Ike Marvel), author of 
Reveries of a Bachelor, one of the classics of American liter- 
ature: 

"The texts which appeal to me most are those which 
cannot be twisted into support of a sect or of a theological 
dogma. The 'Golden Rule' (so called) and the Lord's Prayer 
are of this class, and the Sermon on the Mount is better than 
most sermons I know of." >% 

JOHN PHILIP SOUSA, the "March King" and direc- 
tor of Sousa's band, composer of Te Deum, songs, waltzes 
and light operas: 

"Do unto others as you would they should do unto you." 



j t L)M&r&* 4A ^- 



SAMUEL GOMPERS, one of the principal labor lead- 
ers of the United States, and president of the American Fed- 
eration of Labor: 

"The most truthful and appropriate answer I can make to 
the general subject of your letter is that it has ever been the 
aim and intention of my life to conform my action to the 
teachings of the Golden Rule." 



128 FAVORITE TEXTS 

GALUSHA A. GROW, speaker of the Thirty-seventh 
Congress, and chairman of committee on education of Fifty- 
fourth and Fifty-fifth Congress: Aulick Palmer, marshal of 
District of Columbia; Geo. W. Ray, chairman on committee 
of the judiciary, Fifty-sixth Congress, and A. E. Buck, U. S. 
minister to Japan, 1897-1901, all mention the Golden Rule as 
their favorite Scripture, some giving Scripture reference, and 
some quoting it from memory. 

SUSAN B. ANTHONY, reformer, lecturer and author; 
aided in 1852 in forming the first women's state temperance 
society; active in anti-slavery and women's rights; honorary 
president of the National Women's Suffrage Association: 

"The Golden Rule — 'Do unto others as you would that 
others should do to you' — seems to me to cover the whole 
law of life, not because it is written in any book, but because 
it is the lesson learned, or rather taught by every human 
experience." 

LUKE — Continued. 

J. C. WATSON, rear admiral U. S. Navy, prominent in 
the Gulf and Mississippi squadrons during the civil war, and 
commander of the blockading squadron on the North Cuba 
coast during the war with Spain, relieving Admiral Dewey of 
the fleet in the Philippines: 

"My two favorite texts are Luke, second chapter, elev- 
enth verse, 'For unto you is born this day in the city of 
David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.' And Isaiah, 
twenty-sixth chapter, third verse, 'Thou wilt keep him in per- 
fect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth 
in thee.' My favorite chapter is the Traveler's Psalm, 121; 
the seventh and eighth verses mean more to me than any 
others.' 




OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 129 

When Samuel Marsden first landed at the Bay of Islands, 
carrying the gospel message to the savages of New Zealand, 
it was Christmas season, and at his first service he preached 
from the text: "Behold, I bring you glad tidings of great 
joy." (Luke 2:10.) 

As an evidence of the results of missionary efforts in 
Madagascar the description of the coronation of two queens, 
Ranavalona I and II is given. One took place June 12, 1829. 
The Bloody Mary of Madagascar took two of the national 
idols in her hands and declared: "I received you from my 
ancestors; I put my trust in you, therefore support me." And 
then the scarlet-clad images were held up to the awe-stricken 
multitude. On Sept. 3, 1868, the Christian queen Ranavalona 
II was crowned. The symbols of pagan faith were nowhere 
to be seen. In their place lay a beautiful copy of the Bible, 
and the laws of Madagascar. A canopy was stretched above 
the queen and on its four sides were four Scripture texts: 
"Glory to God," "Peace on Earth," "Good will to man," 
"God with us." This took place seven years after the death 
of Ranavalona I. (Luke 2: 14.) 

DAVID J. BREWER, associate justice of the Supreme 
Court of the United States, commenting on Luke 2: 29, once 
said: "Most of us when we come to the end of life, in view 
of all that we have failed to do, feel a great measure of dis- 
appointment. This to me is the pathos of life, that it is 
filled for all of us with a thousand disappointments. These 
unspoken, unknown, buried sorrows constitute the sadness of 
life and point to a hereafter where we shall have time and 
opportunity to realize our unfulfilled yearnings and to cherish 
dear interests which here we have had to neglect." 

DAVID BRAINERD, missionary to the Indians, 1718- 
1747, who in spite of severe illness continued to minister to 



130 FAVORITE TEXTS 

his beloved disciples among the red men, said when about 
to die: "Lord, now let thy servant depart in peace. ,, (Luke 
2:29.) 

A little boy, between four and five years old, was one 
day reading tOj his mother in the New Testament, and when 
he came to these words, "The foxes have holes, and the birds 
of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to 
lay his head," his eyes filled with tears, his tender breast 
heaved, and at last he sobbed aloud. His mother inquired 
what was the matter, but for some time he could not answer 
her. At length, as well as his sobs would let him, he said: 
"I am sure, mamma, if I had been there, I would have given 
him my pillow." (Luke 9: 58.) 

P. T. BARNUM, the noted showman, when a boy, be- 
longed to a Bible class held in the meeting house at Bethel, 
Conn. : 

One exercise of the class was to write compositions on 
certain texts promiscuously drawn from a hat. Once Bar- 
num drew the text: "But one thing is needful; and Mary 
hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away 
from her." (Luke 10:42.) Among other things in answer 
to the "one thing needful," Barnum said: "The merchant 
might answer that the one thing needful is plenty of custom- 
ers who buy liberally, without beating down, and pay cash 
for all their purchases. The farmer might reply that the one 
thing needful is large harvests and high prices. The lawyer 
might be of the opinion that it is an unruly community always 
engaging in bickerings and litigations. The bachelor might 
exclaim that it is a wife who loves her husband, and who 
knows how to sew on buttons. The maiden might answer 
that it is a good husband who will love, cherish, and protect 
her while life shall last. But the most proper answer, and 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 131 

doubtless that which applied to the case of Mary, would be 
that the one thing needful is to believe on the Lord Jesus 
Christ, follow in his footsteps, love God, and obey his com- 
mandments, love our fellow man and embrace every oppor- 
tunity of administering to his necessities.' , 

B. FAY MILLS says that a missionary in Africa 
preached the gospel seven years without making a single 
convert. The missionary then concluded that something was 
wrong with his interpretation of the gospel. So he called 
his congregation together and read Luke with them, he en- 
couraging them to put their own interpretation on the words 
as he went along. All was harmonious until they reached the 
text, Luke 6:30 — "Give to everyone that asketh of thee.' , 
The African hearers and fellow readers, who were noted for 
their thievery, instantly made a literal application of that 
text. They claimed that the missionary had a great many 
things in his house which they would like, but which if they 
took would be demanded back again. The missionary pro- 
tested at their application, but took a week to think it over. 
In that time he came to the conclusion that they were right, 
and told them so. Thus encouraged, the Africans stripped 
his house of everything it contained, even to the soap dishes. 
As he and his wife sat on the floor of his dismantled home, 
she very naturally entered a strong protest against his new 
interpretation of the gospel. But before evening he was 
vindicated. The consciences of the Africans gave them no 
peace, and, moved by the inward monitor, they returned to 
the missionary not only everything they had taken but much 
more besides. A great revival followed, and that African vil- 
lage is now the model community of the Dark Continent, 
according to the testimony of Henry M. Stanley, quoted by 
Mr. Mills. 



132 FAVORITE TEXTS 

CHARLES GODFREY LELAND (Hans Breitmann) 
author and journalist, one of the first to establish industrial 
education in the public schools; quoted in Italian, Luke 
6 : 37, 38, as his favorite text. 

JULES CAMBON, ambassador to the United States 
from France, gave the sixth chapter of St. Luke, quoting 
the thirty-seventh and forty-first verses in French. 

ROBERT F. SAMPLE, pastor Westminster Presbyter- 
ian Church, 1887-1901, author of Beacon Lights of the Refor- 
mation, and other books: 

"Luke 11:9 — 'Ask, and it shall be given unto you,' is 
the text that opened to me the Kingdom of Heaven. I had 
been greatly concerned about my soul for a week and could 
do nothing to, commend myself to Christ's table. I was not 
aware that self-righteousness was the barrier between Christ 
and myself. At length I was forced to the very border of 
despair and my eyes fell on the text that I have alluded to; 
it bade me hope; its form was encouraging. Jesus did not 
say 'Ask and I may answer,' or 'I will give consideration to 
your prayer,' but he addresses me in a promise which is 
positive, suspended on the condition of my asking. I said to 
myself, he cannot break his word. I knelt in my room, 
where I had been sitting alone; I prayed in faith, and a 
precious hope came into my soul which has never been dark- 
ened through all the years of a happy Christian experience. 

"I was at this time a student in Jefferson College, about 
eighteen years of age. On the same day, which was the Sab- 
bath, I consecrated myself to the gospel ministry and for over 
forty-five years have preached Christ Jesus, my Lord, with 
a deep sense of responsibility and with less success than many 
of my brethren, but ever thankful that God has been pleased 
toi use me. I give to him all the praise. 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 133 

"I found that in the scriptures, prayer and faith are used 
as synonymous terms. Prayer is the expression of faith. 
When I have been unable to convey to an inquirer a clear 
conception of faith I have urged prayer, sincere and earnest, 
with a willingness to be made willing to give up all sin, as 
the simple, Christ-given condition of salvation. 

"Another text that has been very much to me through all 
my Christian life is the statement, 'The Lord reigneth; let 
the earth rejoice; and the multitude of isles be glad thereof.' 
Another that I think of almost daily, which quiets me when 
disturbed and brings the radiance of heaven into the darkest 
experiences, is Romans 8: 28 — 'All things work together for 
good to them who love God, to them who are the called ac- 
cording to his purpose.' " 

QUINTIN HOGG, merchant, and founder and president 
of the London Polytechnic Institute, one of the principal 
philanthropic institutions in the world, famous football player, 
and played when fifty-five years of age: 

"What helps a man at one period of his career is of no 
help at a later period. This seems to me to be true of all 
books and all authors. 'I pray thee have me excused.' " 
(Luke 14:18.) 

CECIL JOHN RHODES, developer of Africa, and orig- 
inator of the Cape to Cairo railway scheme, great friend of 
General Gordon, who requested him to accompany him to 
Khartoum, was a great reader of the Bible, and was very 
impatient of most other literature; because not condensed 
enough, not sufficiently to the point for him. Dr. Jameson 
told the following story: At the beginning of the Matabele 
troubles, in 1893, it appeared necessary to Mr. Jameson, who 
was then the administrator, to strike a bold blow with the 



134 FAVORITE TEXTS 

force then at hand. He wired Rhodes at Cape Town the 
whole situation, and asked for instructions. Rhodes tele- 
graphed back this answer: "Read Luke 14: 31!" 

RIGHT REV. T. U. DUDLEY, Bishop of Kentucky: 
"St. Luke, fifteenth chapter." 

MAHOMED RAHAM, a Persian, on being asked con- 
cerning his conversion to Christianity, told the following: 
"In the year 1223 there came to the city an Englishman, who 
preached Christ with a boldness unparalleled in Persia, in the 
midst of scorn and ill-treatment. He was a beardless youth 
and evidently enfeebled by disease. I visited him with the 
declared object of exposing his doctrines to contempt. Al- 
though I persevered for some time in this behaviour, I found 
that every interview not only increased my respect for him, 
but diminished my confidence in the faith in which I was 
educated. I finally read a tract which he had written in reply 
to a defence of Islamism by our chief mollahs. The result 
of my examination was a conviction that this young disputant 
was right. Shame and fear withheld me from avowing this 
opinion and I avoided the society of the Christian teacher. 
Just before he quitted Shiraz I could not refrain from paying 
him a farewell visit. Our conversation sealed my conversion, 
and he gave me a book which has ever been my constant 
companion. The study of it has formed my most delightful 
occupation; its contents have often consoled me." Upon this 
he handed out a copy of the New Testament in Persian, on 
one of the blank leaves of which was written: "There is joy 
in heaven over one sinner that repenteth. Henry Martyn." 
(Luke 15:7.) 

At a meeting of ministers in Germany someone asked the 
question: "Who is that elder son?" and Krummacher an- 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 135 

swered: "I know him; I saw him yesterday." And when they 
insisted upon knowing whom he meant he said: "Myself; 
when I saw the account of the conversion of a most ob- 
noxious man I was irritated." (Luke 15: 25, 30.) 

EDWIN ARNOLD, author of The Light of Asia and 
The Light of the World, and also on the editorial staff of the 
London Daily Telegraph: 

" 'And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that 
men ought always to pray, and not to faint.' " (Luke 18:1.) 



C^U'* i/rht^/ 



MR. WHITEFIELD one morning with his usual fervor, 
exhorted his hearers to give up the use of the means for the 
spiritual good of their relations and friends only with their 
lives, remarking that he had had a brother for whose spirit- 
ual welfare he had used every means. He had warned him 
and prayed for him; and apparently to no purpose till a few 
weeks ago, when his brother, to his astonishment and joy, 
came to his house, and with many tears declared that he had 
come up from the country to testify to him the great change 
that divine grace had wrought upon his heart, and to ac- 
knowledge with gratitude his obligation to the man whom 
God had made the instrument of it. Mr. Whitefield added 
that he had that morning received a letter which informed 
him that on his brother's return to Gloucestershire, where 
he resided, he dropped down dead as he was getting out of 
the stage coach, but that he had previously given the most 
unequivocal evidence of his being a new man in Christ Jesus. 
(Luke 18: 1.) 



136 FAVORITE TEXTS 

CYRUS FIELD, in giving his account of the Atlantic 
telegraph, says: "It has been a Icng and hard struggle. Nearly 
thirteen years of watching and ceaseless toil. Often has my 
heart been ready to sink. Many times, when wandering in 
trie forests of Newfoundland in the pelting rain, or on the 
deck of ships on dark, stormy nights, alone, far from home, 
I have almost accused myself of madness and folly to sacrifice 
the peace of my family, and all the hopes of life, for what 
might prove, after all, but a dream. I have seen my com- 
panions one after* another fall by my side, and feared I, too, 
might not live to see the end. And yet one hope has led 
me on; and I have prayed that I might not taste of death 
till this work was accomplished. That prayer is answered; 
and now, beyond all acknowledgments to men is the feeling 
of gratitude to Almighty God." (Luke 5: 11, and 18: 13, 14.) 

JOSEPH PARKER, minister of City Temple, London, 
and great Congregational divine, author of the People's Bible 
and several other books, in speaking of the procession for 
Queen Victoria's jubilee, said: 'I would have had five hun- 
dred nurses with a banner, not blood red, but lily white, with 
this device: T was sick and ye visited me.' I am old enough 
to have wished to have ten thousand Sunday School teachers, 
representing the best army in Europe, and their banner should 
have been: 'The weapons of our warfare are not carnal.' I 
am orthodox and yet aggressive enough to have had a very 
large contingent of the Salvation Army present. These are 
the men that will overcome your cannibalisms and your Na- 
poleonisms and Caesarisms. I would have given them a 
glorious banner: 'The Son of Man is come to seek and to 
save that which was lost.' " (Luke 19: 10.) 

The following is a description of an evangelistic service 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 137 

held one Sunday morning in Barnum's circus tent in Chicago 
during the World's Fair: 

"The surroundings were the ,usual circus furniture — 
ropes, trapezes, gaudy decorations, etc., while in an adjoin- 
ing canvas building was a large menagerie, including eleven 
elephants. Clowns, grooms, circus riders, men, women and 
children, eighteen thousand of them, and on a Sunday morn- 
ing, too! Whether the Gospel was ever before preached 
under such circumstances I know not, but it was wonderful 
to ear and eye alike." 

When that mighty throng took up the hymn, "Nearer, 
my God, to Thee," a visible sense of awe fell upon the multi- 
tude. After an hour of singing and prayer Mr. Moody rose 
to preach, his text being, "The Son of Man is come to seek 
and to save that which was lost." (Luke 19: 10.) The Spirit 
of God was present. The hush of heaven was over the meet- 
ing. Towards the close of the address there was a slight dis- 
turbance, and a "lost child" was passed up to the platform. 
Mr. Moody held her up so that her parents might see her; 
and when her anxious father reached the platform Mr. Moody 
placed the child in his arms, and said: 

"That is what Jesus Christ came to do: to seek and to 
save lost sinners, and restore them to their heavenly Father's 
embrace." 

MRS. J. K. BARNEY, of the W. W. C. T. Union, in 
response to the request, sent a greeting, as follows: "Let 
me give you a message from the Word. When Jesus saw 
the multitudes he was moved with compassion on them, 
because they fainted and were scattered abroad, as* sheep 
having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, 'The 
harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few. Pray 
ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth 



138 FAVORITE TEXTS 

labourers into his harvest. For the Son of Man is come to 
seek and to save that which was lost/ (Luke 19: 10.) Then 
said Jesus to them again: 'Peace be unto you; as my Father 
hath sent me, even so I send you.'" (John 20:21.) 

JANE ADDAMS, of Hull House, Chicago: "There is 
no doubt that our thoughts need to be turned back to that 
man, to the Christ who intrusted the salvation of the world 
to a handful of people, in whom he had aroused a sense of 
humanity and a consciousness of identification, with its 
weaknesses and sins. He first gave to twelve young men 
three years of education; but he added to his marvelous in- 
struction daily association with the lowliest." (Luke 19: 10.) 

WILLIAM DEAN HOWELLS, the novelist, asserts 
that Tolstoy "leads us away from that false standard of a 
gentleman to the man who sought not to be distinguished 
from other men, but to be identified with them." (Philip- 
pians 2: 7.) 

THE LATE DUKE OF KENT, the father of Queen 
Victoria, was expressing, in the prospect of death, some 
concern about the state of his soul, his physician endeavored 
to soothe his mind by referring to his high respectability, 
and his honourable conduct in the distinguished situation in 
which Providence had placed him, when he stopped him 
short, saying, "No; remember, if I am to be saved, it is 
not as a prince, but as a sinner." (Luke 19: 10.) 

PHILIP WILLIAM OTTERBEIN'S entrance into life 
eternal emphasized & powerful verse of scripture. He was 
the founder of the United Brethren church in America, and 
it is believed that in his work at Tulpohocken, where he had 
moved from Lancaster, Pa., he was first to introduce evening 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 139 

sermons and to make pastoral calls, at least to inquire into 
the spiritual welfare of his parishioners. It is said that he, 
like John Wesley, did not come into full spiritual life until 
he came to America. Wesley once exclaimed, "I have come 
to America to convert the poor Indians, but alas who will 
convert me." Otterbein came to convert the Germans, but 
had not found the way of life fully himself. One day he 
was plowing in the field and kneeled down at the end of 
each furrow to pray. He says: "The word Lost! Lost! 
(Verlohren! Verlohren!) went everywhere around me. Mid- 
way in the field I could get no farther. I sank down behind 
the plow, crying Lord save me! I am lost! Then came to 
me the thought or voice, 'I am come to seek and to save 
that which is lost.' In a moment I was filled with un- 
speakable joy and I was saved." (Luke 19: 10.) 

JOHN HUSS, arriving at an; island in the Rhine where 
he was to suffer martyrdom, knelt down and said, "Lord, I 
thank thee that thou hast heard me. In thee do I put my 
trust. O my rock and my fortress, into thy hands I com- 
mend my spirit!" Bishop Ridley, when he saw the flames 
approaching him, said, "Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend 
my spirit! Lord, receive my soul! Lord, have mercy upon 
me!" (Luke 23:46,47.) 

CHARLES CUTHBERT HALL, president Union 
Theological seminary since 1897, and previous to that pastor 
of prominent Presbyterian churches: 

"If through some extraordinary circumstance it became 
necessary for me to part with the whole of God's Word with 
the exception of one chapter which I should be allowed to 
retain in my possessions, the experience of many years leads 
me to believe that I would choose the twenty-fourth chapter 



140 FAVORITE TEXTS 

of St. Luke. If I were allowed to retain only a fragment of 
a chapter, I would select out of that chapter the account of 
the walk of Emmaus, namely from the thirteenth verse to the 
thirty-fifth verse. " 

H. RICHARDS, foreign missionary on the Congo, un- 
der the A. B. M. U., delegate to the Ecumenical Conference, 
1900: "Luke 24: 49— Mark 16: 15— These two verses made 
a profound impression on my heart when in Africa, and led 
to the great awakening on the Congo. John 3: 16 — The 
study of this verse led to my salvation." 

HARRY STILLWELL EDWARDS, author of "Two 
Runaways" and other dialect stories: 

" 'Father, forgive them: for they know not what they 
do.' (Luke 23:34.) There is no text in all the Bible that 
contains as much. In this line, Christ proved himself the 
Son of God, and opened the gates of heaven to every member 
of the human race." 

LOUIS XII, king of France, had many enemies before 
he succeeded to the throne. When he became king, he 
caused a list to be made of his persecutors, and marked 
against each of their names a large black cross. When this 
became known, the enemies of the king fled, because they 
thought it was a sign that he intended to punish them. But 
the king, hearing of their fears, made them be recalled, with 
an assurance of pardon: and said that he had put a cross be- 
side each name, to remind him of the cross of Christ, that 
he might endeavor to follow the example of him who had 
prayed for his murderers, and had exclaimed, "Father, forgive 
them; for they know not what they do." (Luke 23: 34.) 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 141 



CHAPTER XIII. 



JOHN. 

The gospel of John which was written for Christians de- 
tails what the apostle saw and heard, and John having been 
the loving disciple would have a sympathetic and under- 
standing heart, so that from the natural standpoint, and not 
from the standpoint of inspiration, the gospel no doubt re- 
veals the mind of Christ more than any other. In Matthew 
Christ gave the proclamation of the Kingdom of God on 
earth, but in John he converses as to the personal friendship 
and relation to him of those who are loyal to that kingdom. 

The fact that John tells what he saw and heard would 
qualify his testimony as acceptable in a court of justice, and 
it is said that Prof. White once gave an address on John 
before a company of lawyers, presenting only such facts as 
would be accepted as competent testimony by the court. 

The gospel seems to be the favorite of scholars. Henry 
Van Dyke, Charles Elliot Norton, David Starr Jordan, and 
eminent divines like Ian Maclaren, George C. Lorimer, Theo- 
dore Cuyler, J. Wilbur Chapman and others find their 
favorite texts in this gospel, as do the founders and heads 
of the greatest organization for young people the world has 
ever known, Sir George Williams, founder of the Young 
Men's Christian Association, and Francis E. Clark, founder 
of the United Society of Christian Endeavor. Charles M. 
Sheldon, author of In His Steps, found the principle which 
he thinks the church lacks in its pages. Margaret Bottome, 
who has the greatest place in the hearts of the young 



142 FAVORITE TEXTS 

women of America, and Margaret Sangster, the writer of, and 
Ira D. Sankey, the singer of the gospel, quote their texts 
from it 

FRANCIS JUNIUS, the distinguished scholar, gave the 
following account of his spiritual enlightenment: "My father 
who frequently read the New Testament and had long ob- 
served with grief the progress I was making in infidelity, 
put a copy of it in my way in his library with a view to at- 
tract my attention, hoping it might please God to bless his 
design, though without giving me the least intimation of it. 
There one day, I unwittingly opened the New Testament 
thus providentially laid before me. At the very first view, 
though I was deeply engaged in other thoughts, that grand 
chapter of the evangelist and apostle presented itself to me: 
Tn the beginning was the Word.' I read a part of the chapter, 
and was so affected that I instantly became struck with the 
divinity of the argument, and the majesty and the authority 
of the composition, .as infinitely surpassing the highest 
flights of human eloquence. My body shuddered; my mind 
was all in amazement; and I was so agitated the whole day, 
that I scarce knew who I was. From that day God wrought 
so mightily in me by the power of His Spirit, that I began 
to have less relish for all other studies and pursuits, and bent 
myself with greater ardor and attention to everything which 
had relation to God." 

MATTOON M. CURTIS, professor of philosophy in 
Western Reserve University, and author of a number of 
philosophical works: 

"My favorite passage is the prologue to John's gospel; 
favorite text, the first verse of the same." 

HENRY VAN DYKE, sometime pastor of Brick 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 143 

Presbyterian Church, New York, author of Little Rivers, 
and later occupying a chair at Princeton: 
"The first chapter of St. John's gospel." 

About the year 1725, an American boy, some nineteen 
years old, found himself in London where he was under the 
necessity of earning his bread. He had learned the printer's 
trade, and so he went straight to a printer's office, and in- 
quired for work. "Where are you from?" asked the fore- 
man. "America," was the answer. "Ah," said the foreman, 
"from America! A lad from America seeking employment 
as a printer! Well, do you really understand the art of print- 
ing? Can you set type?" The young man stepped to one 
of the cases, and in a brief space set up the following pas- 
sage from the first chapter of John: "Nathaniel said unto 
him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip 
saith unto him, Come and see." (John 1:46.) It was done 
so quickly, so accurately, and administered a delicate reproof 
so appropriate and powerful, that it at once gave him influ- 
ence and standing with all in the office. He worked dili- 
gently, refused to indulge in strong drink, saved his money, 
returned to America, became a publisher, owning his own 
printing office, became an author, a postmaster, a member 
of Congress, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, an 
ambassador to the royal courts, and finally died at the age 
of 84, full of honors. There are now more than a hundred 
and fifty counties and towns in America named after the 
printer boy, Benjamin Franklin, the author of Poor Rich- 
ard's Almanac. 

This moralist, statesman and philosopher (Benjamin 
Franklin) worn with pain welcomed the end of life. His 
last look was on a picture of Christ which had hung for many 



144 FAVORITE TEXTS 

years near his bed, and of which he often said: "That is the 
picture of one who came into the world to teach men to love 
one another." (John 13: 34, 35.) 

An epitaph written by him in 1729 holds his chief char- 
acteristics, his humor, his quiet assurance of better things 
to come, whether in this world or the next: 

"The body of Benjamin Franklin, printer, (like the cover 
of an old book, its contents torn out, and stript of its let- 
tering and gilding), lies here, food for worms. Yet the work 
itself shall not be lost, for it will, as he believes, appear once 
more, in a new and more beautiful edition, corrected and 
amended by the Author." 

It has been thought that the idea of his epitaph was sug- 
gested to Franklin by Benjamin Woodbridge's funeral elegy 
upon John Cotton: 

"A living, breathing Bible; tables where 
Best covenants at large engraven were; 
Gospel and law in his heart had each its column; 
His head an index to the sacred volume; 
His very name a title page; and next 
His life a commentary on the text. 
O, what a monument of glorious worth, 
When in a new edition he comes forth, 
Without erratas, may we think he'll be 
In leaves and covers of eternity." 

DUNCAN McLAREN, the well-known Edinburgh, 
Scotland, minister, who had many American admirers: 

"I find no chapter in the Bible more helpful than the 
fourth chapter of St. John's gospel. The late John Bright, 
the eminent English statesman, once said to me that he knew 
no writing anywhere that could be compared to it. Every 
time I read it I find something fresh and inspiring." 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 14-5 

JOHN 3:16. THE BIBLE IN TWENTY-FIVE 
WORDS. 

Some one was once asked to give in one word a proof 
that the Bible was an inspired volume. He thought but a 
moment and then replied: "Jews." If one was asked to 
condense the Bible into one sentence, he could not do better 
than choose John 3: 16. It tells the whole story, from Genesis 
to Revelation. We find in Genesis: "In the beginning God 
created heaven and earth." In John 3: 16 we find that God 
so loved the world that he gave his Son. The whole Old 
Testament is a history of the preparation of a people through 
which his Son should come. In the last chapter of Revelation 
we find an invitation, "Whosoever will let him take of the 
water of life freely." And the last two words of our con- 
densed Bible are, "everlasting life." It is safe to say that 
the majority of those in the church triumphant and also in 
the church militant, entered into the brotherhood of an end- 
less life with that invitation. It is an invitation, a proposal 
and a contract all in one. And one does not need to wait 
until death to enter into the benefits of the contract. It is not 
everlasting life insurance; the everlasting life begins when 
we accept the proposition, and the peace and comfort of it 
are daily benefits. 

SELAH MERRILL, United States consul at Jerusalem, 
three periods of four years, since 1882, discovered and exca- 
vated the second wall at Jerusalem, outside which Christ was 
crucified, and author of several books on Palestine: 

"God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten 
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but 
have everlasting life." (John 3: 16.) "God be merciful to 
me a sinner." (Luke 18: 13.) 



146 FAVORITE TEXTS 

TEUNIS S. HAMLIN, president of Open Air Workers' 
Association and trustee of the United Society of Christian 
Endeavor: 

"Your request is difficult to comply with, because the 
Bible is not a book of texts, though too much so considered 
and used; nor of chapters which are purely arbitrary and 
often very misleading division of the books; but of treatises, 
historical, poetical, etc. Like all Christians I love John 
3: 16; John 14: 17; Luke 15 and many other great passages." 

A. F. SCHAUFFLER, D. D., vice-president of New 
York City Mission and Tract Society, gives John 3: 16 as his 
favorite text and the third of John and fifteenth of Luke and 
thirteenth of First Corinthians as his favorite chapters, which 
he says are pure gold throughout. 

C. H. GROSVENOR, the veteran congressman from 
Ohio, and J. A. Norton, also an Ohio congressman, give 
John 3: 16 as their favorites. 

JAMES H. CANFIELD, formerly president of Ohio 
State University, and since librarian of Columbia University 
of New York. "These are my favorite texts: 

"The promise of everlasting life, so dear to every man. 
(John 3: 16.) 

"The promise of peace and heart-comfort. (John 14: 27.) 

"The simplest, clearest doctrine of righteousness. (I 
John 3:7.) 

"The chiefest characteristic of God." (I John 4: 8.) 

J. O. SPENCER, well-known missionary: 
"Am led to prize John 3: 16 particularly by noting its 
effect on those who have never before heard the gospel" 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 147 

CORINNA SHATTUCK, "the heroine of Oorfa" and 
missionary in charge of an orphanage: 

"If I must choose I suppose John 3: 16 is most precious 
to me. John 14, 15, 16; Philippians 4; Ephesians 6; First 
John entire; Matthew 5, 6, 7; Psalms 1, 2, 19, 23, 46, 90, 91, 
103; First Corinthians 13; Isaiah 53, 55, and Matthew last 
chapter are specially chosen passages. I have used for years 
with those under my instruction a list of 100 verses (see an- 
other chapter) each ten showing the complete way of salva- 
tion, to be learned with reference. We keep up the custom 
of committing verses in mission fields. The boys and girls 
get up a real enthusiasm over it." 

JACOB CHAMBERLAIN, M. D., D. D., of the Ameri- 
can Arcot Mission, Madanapalle, India, gave John 3: 16 as 
his favorite, and added the following experience, showing the 
opposition to missionaries in heathen lands, and the power of 
the word of God: I with four native assistants had been trav- 
eling since early morning, preaching in all the towns and vil- 
lages on our way, until we approached what we had heard 
spoken of as the wickedest city of the realm. After entering 
the gate, I met my assistants returning with a hooting rabble 
following them. They told me that it was s not safe to at- 
tempt to do any work within the city. Have you preached 
to the people? I asked. "No, sir, we have only sold a few 
books and tracts." Then we must do so now. The rabble 
had halted as they heard the foreigner talking in a strange 
tongue. We walked with firm step to the market place, the 
crowd following and increasing by the way. 

Turning I spoke politely to the people in their language. 
"Leave this place at once," was the angry response. Friends, 
said I, I have come from far to tell you some good news. I 
will tell that and then we will go. We have no desire to 



148 FAVORITE TEXTS 

abuse your gods, but we will not go until we have proclaimed 
our message. 

We had seen the angry mob tearing up the paving stones 
and gathering them in the skirts of their garments, and now 
me saw one nudge another saying, "You throw the first 
stone, and I will throw the second," but they quailed a little 
under my keen glance. I said to them I have come with a 
royal message, with a sweeter story than mortal ear has ever 
heard, but it is evident this multitude does not wish to hear 
it, but I see five men before me who do wish to hear my 
story. If you will all step back a little I will tell my message 
to these five and then you may stone me. 

Then I told the story of stories. How they all listened! 

"There, you may stone me now, I have finished." "No, 
no," said they, "we don't want to stone you now," and with 
that their wallets were produced and they purchased all the 
gospels and tracts we had with us and appointed a deputation 
of their best men to escort us to our camp, begging us to 
forgive them for the insults they had heaped upon us. Verily 
the story of the cross has not lost its power. 

B. L. WHITMAN, president of Columbian University, 
Washington, 1895-1900: "Favorite single verse, John 3: 16; 
the twenty-third and ninetieth Psalms, the fourteenth chap- 
ter of John and the eighth chapter of Romans." 

W. X. NINDE, bishop of the Methodist Episcopal 
church, since 1884-1900: "Two favorite texts of mine which 
seem to form a complete evangel are John 3: 16 and I Thes- 
salonians 5: 23." a 



fr.y- 



W. W. DUNCAN, bishop of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church South, 1886-1900, chaplain in the Confederate army, 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 149 

having filled prominent southern pulpits for twenty-five years, 
gives John 3: 16 as his favorite text and Romans 12 as his 
favorite chapter. 

MILTON A. McRAE, general manager of the Scripps- 
McRae league of newspapers of 350,000 daily circulation, 
gives John 3: 16 as his favorite text and commends the effort 
in creating renewed interest in texts and chapters. 

A. W. RUDISILL, Methodist missionary, gave John 
3: 16, and his favorite Psalm is the one hundred and twenty- 
first. 

A. B. LEONARD, corresponding secretary of the Mis- 
sionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church: "I 
think the passage of scripture that has impressed me the most 
particularly of late years is John 3: 16, and the chapter or 
part of a chapter, Matthew 6: 19-34." 

An infidel once came across an earnest Christian me- 
chanic reading his Testament during the noon hour in the 
Atchison railroad shops. The others gathered around to see 
the fun. "Hello, what you got there?" said the infidel. "The 
Bible," was the reply. "You don't believe that, do you?" 
"Well," said the man, "I have just been reading a verse that 
I hardly know whether to believe or not." "Ah," said the 
infidel, highly pleased, "what's that?" The mechanic then 
read John 3: 16, adding, "It's almost too good to believe." 
The crowd melted away, but no one who heard it will ever 
forget it. 

DAVID G. WYLIE, pastor Scotch Presbyterian church, 
New York: "My favorite text is 'God so loved the world, 
that he gave his only begotten Son.' " (John 3: 16.) 



150 PAVOPJTE TEXTS 

JAMES H. HOADLEY, pastor Faith Presbyterian 
Church, New York: "When I was a child the work in the 
Sunday School consisted chiefly in memorizing texts. My 
mother once told me that when she was a little girl she com- 
mitted the entire gospel of Mark to memory and recited it 
at one time, for which, I think, she received a Bible. It is 
difficult to say which is my favorite text, there are so many 
equally precious: 'God so loved the world,' etc., and 'Come 
unto me all ye that labor/ and 'In my Father's house are 
many mansions;' all these and many more are dear to me. 
I quote the above in the sick room." 

MARTIN LUTHER, the general and commander of 
the Reformation, prayed in his last hours: 

"O heavenly Father, if it be so that I must leave this 
body and be torn away from this life, yet know I surely that 
I shall ever abide with thee, and none shall pluck me out of 
thine hand." He repeated the words "God so loved the world 
that he gave his Son," (John 3: 16), and "He that is our God 
is the God of salvation, and unto God the Lord belong the 
issues from death." He added thrice "Into thine hand I com- 
mit my spirit. Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of 
truth." 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 151 



CHAPTER XIV 



JOHN— Continued. 

T. ESTRADA -PALMA, Cuban patriot, took part in 
Cuban revolution of 1868-78, in the early part of which his 
mother was captured and starved to death by the Spaniards; 
president of Cuban republic at one time and represented it 
during the last revolution: "As to my preferences for the 
texts of scriptures, the first and foremost is the Golden Rule, 
among others is Christ's saying to the woman of Samaria: 
'Ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet in Jerusalem, 
worship the father, true worshippers shall worship the father 
in spirit and in truth,' etc. (John 4:2123.) Another: 'Let 
him that is without sin among you cast the first stone.' Also 
I am much impressed with most of the Sermon on the 
Mount." 

J. H. GILLIS, commodore U. S. Navy, retired; in many 
heavy engagements during the Civil war, and commander of 
the U. S. S. Wateree, carried half mile inland by tidal wave . 
at Africa: " 'Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye 
have eternal life; and they are they which testify of me.' 
John 5:39. This text was written in the Bible given to me 
by my dear mother in 1853." 

JIM BURWICK, railroad engineer and evangelist: 
"Hundreds of times have I been kneeling at an altar of prayer 
dealing with seeking souls, when I would give them Deuter- 
onomy 4: 29. After explaining how the whole heart was lay- 
ing everything, everybody, every habit, both good and bad, 



152 FAVORITE TEXTS 

on the altar, with themselves on top; after they said it was 
all there, then show them John 6:37, and say: 'Now you 
could do nothing more, could you?' The answer of course 
would be, 'No.' 'Then you have come and he don't cast you 
out; then you are his, aren't you?' 'Yes.' 'Well, what are 
you doing down here crying?' Then you see the change in 
the expression of the face, as it would begin to shine because 
of the flood of joy in the soul, and how they would laugh as 
they told of his love. In one case it was a husband and 
father, and after jumping to his feet he took me by the hand, 
the tears in his eyes looking like diamonds. Then he left the 
meeting, laughing as he went to tell his family." He added, 
(lest this be judged by some to be merely emotional) "I am 
glad to say he .has summered over three times in good 
shape." 

J. WILBUR CHAPMAN, clergyman, evangelist and au- 
thor; The Surrendered Life, Present-day Parables, etc., be- 
ing among his works; pastor of leading Presbyterian churches 
in New York and Philadelphia: 

"My favorite text is John 5: 24. It has been the ground 
of not only my hope, but my assurance of acceptance with 
God as well." 




AAA Aw 

THOMAS NELSON PAGE, lecturer, and author of 
Marse Chan, Meh Lady and other dialect stories: 

"I am glad that the custom of committing texts from 
the Bible to memory prevailed in my youth. The text, 'Him 
that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out,' (John 6: 37), 
has always seemed to me one to hang to." 



&u>/X^/Z^ 



<y>c-> 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 153 

JOSEPH BUTLER, English bishop and author of 
Analogy of Religion: "I have often read and thought of 
that scripture, but never till this moment did I feel its full 
power, and now I die happy." These words were spoken to 
his chaplain who had read to him the sixth chapter of John 
and called his attention to the thirty-seventh verse. 

JULIUS J. ESTEY, manufacturer and philanthropist: 
"My favorite text in the whole Bible is John 6:37, for 
the reason that it is the basis of my Christian hope. From 
childhood it has been a very difficult matter for me to commit 
anything to memory, and this faculty has not at all improved 
with years. I believe in it, however, so far as possible, not 
merely for the sake of being able to repeat the verses, but for 
impressing upon the heart the truths of the scriptures. There 
are some portions of the scriptures that I did succeed in 
committing as a young man, among them the twenty-third 
Psalm, but it never meant very much to me until I heard 
an exposition of it by Rev. Geo. F. Pentecost, since which 
time it has had a tremendous amount of meaning for me. 
No doubt this is the experience of many in regard to different 
portions of the Bible." 

IRA D. SANKEY, writer and singer of some of the 
world's best known Gospel songs: 

"John 6: 47 and Isaiah 35: 10." 



/fe^V^W^ 



PRESIDENT LINCOLN, a few months before he died, 
asked his old friend Joshua F. Speed, who had known him 
from the beginning of his career, to spend the night with 



154 FAVORITE TEXTS 

him at the Soldiers' Home. He arrived early in the evening, 
and as was his custom ran up to the president's room. There 
was the president reading a book. As Speed came nearer in 
the twilight he was surprised to see that it was the Bible. He 
said: "I am glad to see you so profitably engaged." "Yes," 
answered Lincoln, looking up seriously, "I am profitably 
engaged." 

"Well," said Speed, somewhat sadly, "if you have recov- 
ered from your skepticism, I am sorry to say that I have not." 

The president for a moment looked him earnestly in the 
face, then placing his hand gently on the doubter's shoulder, 
said with unusual solemnity, as if for the moment the pre- 
monition flitted across his mind that these might be the last 
important words he should speak to his friend: 

"You are wrong, Speed; take all of this book on reason 
that you can, and the rest on faith, and you will, I am sure, 
live and die a happier and a better man." (John 7: 17.) 

HAMILTON KING, lecturer and author, and U. S. 
minister to Siam: "Perhaps no text in God's Word appeals 
to me more forcibly than the words: 'If any man will do his 
will, he shall know the doctrine.' " (John 7: 17.) 

"The night cometh when no man can work." This sen- 
tence is memorable because it sums up all that other men 
have said and written about the swift approach of death and 
the urgency of doing daily work faithfully. It was the life 
motto of Samuel Johnson and Thomas Carlyle. (John 9:4.) 

S. H. HAD LEY, superintendent of the Old Jerry Mc- 
Auley Mission, New York: "I can say probably more than 
any other man, Jesus sought me when a stranger, for the 
night he came to me in a saloon, I was crazy with drink and 
looking for more. After I was saved I at once began to 
read God's word. So much of it has been food to my soul 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 155 

I hardly know where to begin to mention favorite texts. John 
9:25 is for me; Luke 19:10; 7:48; II Corinthians 5:17; 
John 6:57; 14:23; Psalms 27: 1; 91 and 103." 

KERR BOYCE TUPPER, pastor First Baptist Church, 
Philadelphia: "My favorite text is John 7: 17, according to 
the correct translation: 'If any man wills to do his will he 
shall know/ " 

DAVID STARR JORDAN, president Leland Stanford 
University: "I am come that they might have life, and that 
they might have it more abundantly.'' (John 10: 10.) 



N> CK-^O-^ O^ C^Lo-^-A. 



»' 



DEAN STANLEY'S inscription on the stone in the 
nave of Westminster Abbey over the body of David Living- 
stone concludes thus: "For thirty years his life was spent 
in an unwearied effort to evangelize the native races, to ex- 
plore undiscovered secrets, and abolish the desolating slave 
trade of Central Africa, when, with his last words he wrote: 
'All I can say in my solitude is, may heaven's rich blessing 
come down on every one — American, English, Turk — who 
will help to heal this open sore of the world.' 'Other sheep 
I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and 
they shall hear my voice.' " (John 10: 16.) 

S. A. SELWYN, of Bournemouth, St. John's vicarage, 
Boscombe, Hampshire, and one of the speakers at the North- 
field conference several years since: "My favorite text — the 
one that brought salvation to my soul, is St. John 10:28 — 
'My sheep shall never perish.' " 



156 FAVORITE TEXTS 

SIR GEORGE WILLIAMS, founder of the Young 
Men's Christian Association: "St. John, tenth chapter, verses 
twenty-seven to thirty." 

HENRY MARTYN arrived at Shiraz, the Persian liter- 
ary capital, June 9, 1811, for the purpose of revising his Per- 
sian translation of the Bible. He was assisted by Said Ali, 
a member of the self-deifying sect of Mohammedans, known 
as the Sofis. 

But he reached Ali's heart, especially when they were go- 
ing through the twelfth chapter of John. The Persian in- 
voluntarily exclaimed in wonder at Jesus loving his disciples 
so dearly. Tears filled his eyes as to him, a seeker, as he 
said, "from his youth up," Martyn imparted the true re- 
ligion, and bade him yield his soul to his dear Lord and 
Redeemer. The New Testaments and Psalters which the 
Hindoo or Persian reads in his own language are remem- 
brances of Martyn's faithfulness, who spared not himself, 
neither counted his life dear. 

€. STANLEY HALL, president Clark University: 
"I think that no texts in the Bible have impressed me 
more in later years than, 'Except a corn of wheat fall into 
the ground/ etc., and 'Whoso offendeth one of these little 
ones.' The first passage has grown deep in my own connec- 
tion with the study of self-sacrifice as an ethical system, and 
the second in connection with the study of my childhood and 
my grave fear that many current educational methods do 
cause the little ones to offend." (John 12: 24; Mark 9: 42.) 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 157 

IAN MACLAREN, (Rev. John Watson) minister Sefton 
Park Presbyterian Church, Liverpool, 1880-1900, and author 
of Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush, The Days of Auld Lang 
Syne, The Upper Room, The Mind of the Master, etc.: "St. 
John 14 and First Corinthians 13." Commenting on I John 
5: 12, he once said: "Below thirty we loathe forms; we 
despise cant; but we are the first at that age to honor char- 
acter, to admit the force of life. What it must have been, 
after years of the rabbis, with their weary, dry-as-dust doc- 
trine, to have Jesus look at a congregation and to have him 
speak of life. It would be as if a breeze from the Sea of 
Galilee had swept through the synagogue, as if an electric 
shock had been given to the hearers. This is the perpetual 
surprise of Jesus. He is ever appearing suddenly before men 
— sick of the command to do this or that — and delivering his 
one message: 'What you want is life in mind and heart, life 
to give power and joy. Religion is not morality nor doctrine; 
it overflows all such narrow boundaries; it is life. Begin to 
live at once, there is your place, by hearing my call and obey- 
ing it. You have existed for yourself; now forget and deny 
self and live for others. This is my cross — accept it, carry it, 
rejoice in it. The moment you lift it, you will feel the ex- 
enteration of life; and the longer you carry it, you will have 
life more abundantly.' This the Gospel Jesus preacheth ever, 
and if any man has ears to hear, it ought to be the young 
man." • p 

SAMUEL FALLOWS, Right Rev. Bishop of the Re- 
formed Episcopal Church, and prominent in state educational 
affairs in Wisconsin, author Life of Samuel Adams and other 
books: "My favorite chapter is the fourteenth of the gospel 
according to St. John, and my favorite verse, the sixteenth 
of that chapter." 



158 FAVORITE TEXTS 

SIR WALTER SCOTT just before his death desired to 
be drawn into his library, and placed by the window, that 
he might look down upon the Tweed. To his son-in-law he 
expressed a wish that he should read to him. "From what 
book shall I read?" said he. "And you ask?" Scott replied. 
"There is but one." "I chose," said his biographer, "John 
14." He listened with mild devotion, and said, when I had 
done, "Well, this is a great comfort. I have followed you 
distinctly, and I feel as if I was to be myself again." (John 
14:1,4.) 

MARGARET SANGSTER, popular poet and editor: 
"If I have a favorite chapter in the Bible it is the beautiful 
fourteenth of the Gospel of St. John. As a child I learned by 
heart many chapters — the whole epistle to the Ephesians, the 
fortieth chapter of Isaiah, many Psalms, the Sermon on the 
Mount, and the closing chapter of Deuteronomy. Nothing 
else ever gave me the intellectual and spiritual impulse and 
help which came to me from the Word." 



JflMf£*^ S cfclci^a^e-'^ 



MARGARET BOTTOME, president International Order 
of King's Daughters, and the motherly adviser of thousands 
of young women through her department in the Ladies' Home 
Journal, says of John 12:32: "I saw the wonderful crucifix 
suspended from the marvelous dome in the cathedral at Milan 
as often as I could, for there were times when the light 
touched it, and then it was a sight never to be forgotten. At 
the sunset hour, people of different nationalities and different 
faiths stood side by side, awed by the sight of a man hanging 
on a cross high up in full view, and some at least recalled 
his own words to mind: 'And I, if I be lifted up from the 
earth, will draw all men unto me.' " 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 159 

CHARLES ELIOT NORTON, professor of history 
and art, Harvard University: 

"My favorite text from the Bible is John 13: 34: 'A new 
commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; 
* * */ and with it, Romans 13: 10: '* * * Love is the 
fulfilling of the law.' " 

E. W. PARKER, foreign missionary and delegate to 
the Ecumenical Conference, 1900: "The words of Jesus, 'I 
am come a light.' (John 12:46.) All the heathen world 
with outstretched arms crying for a light, and Jesus steps 
upon our world answering the cry, 'I am come a light.' So 
also the call to rest, 'Come unto me' is another answer to the 
great cry for rest. So also, 'I am the Bread of Life.' And 
Colossians 1 : 18, 19 — All these become very precious to the 
missionary." He mentions Psalms 23, 46, 72 and 100. 

HENRY W. WARREN, bishop of the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church, 1880-1900, and author of several valuable 
books: "Jesus * * * having loved his own which were in 
the world, loved them to his uttermost. John 13: 1, margin." 

Preaching on John 13: 14, the duty of disciples to wash 
one another's feet, Mr. Finlayson of Helmsdale observed: 
"One way in which disciples wash one another's feet is by 
reproving one another. But the reproof must not be couched 
in angry words, so as to destroy the effect, just as, in wash- 
ing a brother's feet, you must not use boiling water to scald, 
nor frozen water to freeze them." 

ARCHBISHOP USSHER, being once on a visit to 
Scotland, heard a great deal of the piety and devotion of 
Samuel Rutherford. He wished much to witness the home 
life of such a man incognito. So he dressed himself as a 



160 FAVORITE TEXTS 

pauper and called at the Rutherford home Saturday night 
and asked for lodging. Mr. Rutherford consented to give 
the poor man a bed for the night and asked him to sit down 
in the kitchen. 

Mrs. Rutherford, according to custom on Saturday even- 
ing that her servants might be provided for the Sabbath, 
called them together and examined them. In the course of 
the examination she asked the stranger how many com- 
mandments there were. To which he answered, "Eleven." 
On receiving this answer, she replied, "What a shame is it 
for you! a man with gray hairs, in a Christian country, not 
to know how many commandments there are! There is not 
a child of six years old in the parish but could answer this 
question properly." She troubled the poor man no more, 
thinking him so very ignorant, but lamented his condition 
to her servants; and after giving him some supper desired 
a servant to show him upstairs to a bed in the garret. Mr. 
Rutherford, on discovering who he was the next morning, 
requested him to preach for him that day, which the bishop 
consented to do, on condition that he would not discover him 
to any other. The bishop had for his text, John 13:34, "A 
new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one an- 
other." In the course of his sermon he observed that this 
might be reckoned the eleventh commandment. (John 13: 34.) 

SANFORD B. DOLE, president of Hawaiian Islands, 
1893-1898, and was strong advocate of annexation to United 
States; born in Hawaii, son of American missionaries: 

"Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." 
(John 14:27.) 



02jk^dOf^ 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 161 

MR. NEWTON, the divine, was telling in company one 
day how much his memory was decayed. "There," said he, 
"last Wednesday, after dinner, I asked Mrs. C. what I had 
been about that forenoon, for I could not recollect." "Why," 
said she, "you have been preaching at St. Mary's." "Yet it is 
wonderful, when I am in the pulpit, I can recollect any pas- 
sage of scripture into my sermon from Genesis to Revela- 
tion." (John 14:26.) 

RICHARD BAXTER, author of Saint's Everlasting 
Rest, and noted non-conformist, when dying said: "I have 
pain — there is no arguing against sense — but I have peace, 
I have peace!" A little later he said: "I am almost well!" 
(John 14:27.) 

A soldier, was mortally wounded at the battle of Water- 
loo. His companion conveyed him to some distance, and 
laid him down under a tree. Before he left him, the dying 
soldier entreated him to open his knapsack and take out his 
pocket Bible and read him a small portion of it before he 
died. When asked what passage he should read, he desired 
him to read John 14: 27: "Peace I leave with you, my peace 
I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. 
Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." 
"Now," said he, "I die happy." 

AGNES E. BASKERVILLE, foreign missionary: 
"I have had literally fulfilled in my own experience, more 
than once, those words of the Master in John 14: 26, where 
he promises that the Comforter shall bring to our remem- 
brance the things he has said unto us. Many times when 
heavy hearted and burdened, precious promises and comfort- 
ing passages have been brought to my memory as in a flash, 
while I had forgotten when I had committed them, and could 



162 FAVORITE TEXTS 

not even remember where they were to be found. The 
twenty-third Psalm is perhaps the passage upon which I have 
oftenest leaned. It has been with me from childhood and 
grows more and more precious as the years go by." 

WILLIAM LINDSAY, United States Senator, said that 
the most impressive chapter oi the Bible to him is the four- 
teenth chapter of John, and the most impressive verses, the 
second and third of that chapter. 

E. G. CONKLIN, professor of zoology, University of 
Pennsylvania, embryologist, gave the fourteenth chapter and 
the first verse as his favorites. 

E. V. ZOLLARS, president of Hiram College, President 
Garfield's alma mater, gave the fourteenth chapter of John 
as one of his favorite chapters. 

DR. WITHERSPOON, formerly president of Princeton 
College, was once on board a packet ship where, among 
other passengers, was a professed atheist. This fellow was 
very fond of troubling everybody with his peculiar belief, 
and of broaching the subject as often as he could get anybody 
to listen to him. "He didn't believe in a God and a future 
state, not he!" By and by there came on a terrible storm, 
and the prospect was that all would go to the bottom. There 
was much fear and consternation on board, but not one was 
so horribly frightened as the atheist. In this extremity he 
sought out the clergyman. He found him in the cabin, calm 
and collected, and thus addressed him: "O, Doctor Wither- 
spoon! Doctor Witherspoon! we're all going for it; we 
have but a short time to stay. Oh, my gracious! how the 
vessel rocks! we're all going, don't you think we are, Doc- 
tor?" The reverend gentleman turned on him a look of 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 163 

most provoking coolness, and replied in broad Scotch, "Nae 
doubt, nae doubt man, we're a' ganging; but you and I dinna 
gang the same way." (John 14: 4, 6; Matthew 7: 13, 14.) 

J. B. ANGELL, president of the University of Michigan, 
and at one time minister plenipotentiary to China: 

"My favorite chapter is the fourteenth chapter of the 
Gospel according to St. John." 

J. MURRAY MITCHELL, lawyer and ex-congressman, 
and traveler, quotes John 14:23, giving the Greek in the 
best manuscripts for the word "word," and adds that the 
text had been in his mind more than any other for the past 
six months. 

R. A. TORREY, superintendent of the Moody Bible 
Institute: 

"Either the fourteenth chapter of John or the eighth 
chapter of Romans is my favorite chapter." 

HANNAH J. BAILEY, superintendent of the depart- 
ment of peace and arbitration of the World's and National 
W. C. T. U.: 

"The fourteenth of John is part of my child faith. When 
young in thinking whether there was a future or not this 
chapter came to me as a promise, especially the first verse 
and the last clause of the second, 'I go to prepare a place 
for you.' " 

THEODORE L. CUYLER, the veteran Brooklyn di- 
vine, pastor of one church for thirty-three years, and author 
of four thousand articles contributed to religious papers: 

"My favorite chapters are John, fourteenth chapter, and 
the seventh chapter of Revelation, as given in the revised 
version." 




164 FAVORITE TEXTS 

FRANCIS M. WHITTLE, Right Rev., bishop of the 
diocese of Virginia, gave the fourteenth chapter of John. 

GEORGE C. LORIMER, pastor of Tremont Temple, 
Boston: "I yet continue to memorize verses of scripture. 
The fourteenth chapter of St. John and the twenty-third 



Psalm are my favorites." 



6- 



fl/>*~W 



EDWARD JUDSON, pastor Memorial Baptist Church, 
Washington Square, New York, son of Adoniram Judson, in 
whose memory the church was erected: "John 14: 1 helped 
me greatly when I began my christian life. ,, 

James B. Carrington, writing in Scribner's Maga- 
zine, describing New York at night, says: "In the sky on 
the south side shines out the illuminated cross on the tower 
of the Judson Memorial Church, a beacon of hope, no doubt, 
to many of the poor who make the benches of the square 
a resting place." 

ARCHIBALD J. SAMPSON, envoy and minister of 
U. S. to Ecuador: "In 1861, when I enlisted as a soldier, a 
most worthy woman gave me a small pocket Testament, giv- 
ing me special charge to read the fourteenth and fifteenth 
chapters of St. John. Many a time I obeyed that injunc- 
tion. At times I went over them from memory when my 
Testament was not at hand, for I had committed them to 
memory. While the Bible is full of precious promises I 
think there is nothing which surpasses the parting words of 
the Saviour to his disciples, commencing with the four- 
teenth chapter, especially when he can realize that the Com- 
forter, the Holy Spirit, is as truly by our side repeating those 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 165 

same precious words to us as the Saviour was present with 
his disciples and speaking to them. They are spoken to us 
every day. 

"On the twenty-seventh of October, 1864, at the battle of 
Hatcher's Run, an enemy's bullet broke through the end of 
that Testament, which was in my haversack at my side, and 
it was shot to pieces, but the precious promises still remain. 
After I learned the Spanish language the first thing I com- 
mitted to memory in that language were those precious words 
of Jesus. When a Sunday School boy in Ohio, I committed 
hundreds of verses." 

W. R. LAMBUTH, secretary of the Board of Missions 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church South: 

"From earliest childhood the fourteenth chapter of John 
has been my favorite. It has always been lovingly associated 
with my earliest religious instruction. My grandmother in 
New England every Saturday afternoon while cooking for 
the Sabbath would stand me by the barrel of flour and teach 
me the scripture. Many a chapter and verse have 'I thus 
learned, and it was there I learned the fourteenth chapter of 
John. Would that every mother could realize how poorly 
fitted is her child to cope with the evils of this world, unless 
his heart and mind has been stored with the truths of our 
blessed Bible.'' 

FRANCIS E. CLARK, founder of the United Society of 
Christian Endeavor in 1881 and president since that time, 
previously pastor of Williston Church, Portland, Me., which 
he built up from a small mission to a flourishing church: 

"I would advise all young people to learn among other 
passages the fourteenth and fifteenth chapters of St. John, 
which contain the deepest things in the heart of Christ, it 



166 FAVORITE TEXTS 

seems to me, and meditation upon which will bring- you the 
deepest spiritual help." 

"What think you of our need of the Lord Jesus," said 
Gotthold. "For my part my soul is like a hungry and thirsty 
child, and I need his love and consolations for my refresh- 
ment; I am a wandering and lost sheep, and I need him as 
a good and faithful shepherd; my soul is like a frightened 
dove pursued by the hawk, and I need his wounds as a 
refuge; I am a feeble vine, and I need his cross to lay hold 
of, and wind myself about; I am a sinner, and I need his 
righteousness; I am naked and bare, and need his holiness 
and innocence for a covering; I am in trouble and alarm, and 
I need his solace; I am ignorant, and I need his teaching; 
simple and foolish, and I need the guidance of his Holy 
Spirit; in no situation and at no time can I do without 
him." (John 15:5,7.) 

D. B. PURINTON, president of Denison University, 
mentions John 14 as his favorite chapter. 

MARY LOWE DICKINSON, author, and editor of the 
Silver Cross, organ of the King's Daughters, and prominent 
in other women's organizations, gives the fourteenth chapter 
of John as her favorite. 

ANNE HOLLINGSWORTH WHARTON, author of 
a number of books on Colonial subjects, and contributor of 
children's stories and articles to leading magazines: "In the 
Old Testament my choice, whether from association or from 
their own interest, beauty and strength, would fall upon the 
twenty-third and the forty-sixth Psalms, while in the New 
Testament the thirteenth verse of the fifteenth chapter of St. 
John, the whole of the fourteenth chapter, the fifteenth of 
First Corinthians, from the sixteenth verse, Romans, eighth 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 167 

chapter, eighteenth and nineteenth verse, and the last chapter 
of Revelations are among the passages I think of most fre- 
quently." 

WILLARD F. MALLALIEU, bishop of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, 1884-1900, gave John 14, 15 and 16 as his 
favorite chapters. 



Ifr f %(oMoIlu^ 





W. H. MILBURN, the blind chaplain of the United 
States Senate for the past six years, and chaplain of the 
United States House of Representatives at various times from 
1840 to 1885: 

"The fourteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth 
chapters of St. John's gospel, also the fifth, sixth and seventh 
chapters of St. Matthew." 

Never has the ruling passion been more strongly exem- 
plified in the hour of death than in the case of Payson, the 
well-known minister. His love for preaching was as invinci- 
ble as that of the miser for gold, who dies grasping his 
treasure. He directed a label to be attached to his breast 
when dead, with the admonition, "Remember the word which 
I spake unto you while I was yet present with you;" that 
they might be read by all who came to look at his corpse, 
and by which he, being dead, still spoke. The same words 
were at the request of his people engraved on the plate of the 
coffin, and read by thousands on the day of- his interment. 
(John 15: 20; Hebrews 11: 4.) 



168 FAVORITE TEXTS 

It is said of Bossuet, says the Biblical Museum, that his 
secretary read the seventeenth chapter of John to him sixty 
times while the bishop was lying on his death bed. When 
John Knox, the Scotch reformer, came to die, he asked for 
the reading of this chapter. The devout Spener had it read 
to him three times on his death bed, though he had never been 
willing to preach from it, as he said that it seemed to trans- 
cend his powers. Luther said that plain and artless as its lan- 
gauge, it was so deep, rich and wide, that no one could find 
its bottom or extent. 

JOHN V. FARWELL, wholesale dry goods merchant, 
member of the Christian Commission during the Civil war, 
and contributor to newspapers on economic and financial 
topics: 

"My favorite chapter is the seventeenth of John; favorite 
text John 3: 16. The last is an exposition of the Bible and 
a complete exegesis of God's relation to man, and of his own 
character. The other is Christ's prayer for me as one of the 
number that have believed on him through the ministry of 
his words, which are 'spirit and life,' on which we are to 
feed and grow thereby. I was 75 years old (July 29, 1900) 
last Sunday, and had a celebration at the house of my oldest 
child — a family of twenty-five, fourteen of which are grand 
children. I read the second and third verses of Ephesians 
sixth chapter, which with the whole chapter I learned by 
heart for an infidel doctor when about six years old. This 
promise of God in my case has been fulfilled. I earned 
twenty-five cents for the task — but that infidel did not know 
that his twenty-five cents was going to stay with me, in an- 
other coin, for seventy years." 

GEORGE W. MITCHELL, president of Grand River 
College, says: "My favorite chapters are St. John 17, Mat- 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 169 

thew 5 and Romans 12. I have preached from the following 
texts with joy to my soul, and I trust to the good of the 
hearers, Psalms 147:3; John 14:6; Romans 5:8; 14:7; 
Revelation 3:8." 

JOHN WILLIS BAER, General Secretary United So- 
ciety of Christian Endeavor: 

"John 15: 7 is my favorite and my ideal." 



( ^^>hu~/3* 4 s 



JOHN KNOX, whose faithful and keen rebuke of Queen 
Mary in his sermon made her weep before him, passed his 
last hours fearlessly., 

"Now, for the last time, I commend my soul, spirit, and 
body (touching three of his fingers as he spoke the words) 
into thy hand, O Lord." Then he said to his wife, "Read 
where I cast my first anchor." She read the seventeenth 
chapter of John's gospel. He lay quiet for some hours. At 
ten o'clock they read the evening prayer from the Directory 
for Worship. When they asked him whether he heard the 
prayers, he replied, "Would to God that you and all men 
had heard them as I have heard them. I praise God for that 
heavenly sound." (John 17.) 

A certain regiment was ordered to march into a small 
town in the Tyrol and take it. It chanced that the place was 
settled by a colony who believed the gospel of Christ and 
proved their faith by works. A courier from a neighboring 
village informed them that troops were advancing to take the 
town. They quietly answered, "If they will take it, they 
must." Soldiers soon came, riding in with colors flying and 
fifes piping their shrill defiance. They looked round for an 
enemy, and saw the farmer at his plow, the blacksmith at his 



170 FAVORITE TEXTS 

anvil, and the women at their churns and spinning-wheels. 
Babies crowded to hear the music, and boys ran out to see the 
pretty trainers, with feathers and bright buttons, "the harle- 
quins of the nineteenth century." Of course none of these 
were in a proper position to be shot at. "Where are your 
soldiers ?" they asked. "We have none," was the brief reply. 
"But we have come to take the town." "Well, my friends, it 
lies before you." "But there is nobody here to fight?" "No, 
we are all Christians." (John 18: 36.) 

HENRY MARTYN, the missionary, was at Shiraz in 
Persia several years translating the New Testament into the 
language of that country, being assisted by a Persian boy. 
He seemed to have been delighted with an incident which he 
noted in his journal, June 28, 1811: "The poor boy," says 
he, "while writing how one of the servants of the high priest 
struck the Lord on the face, stopped and said, 'Sir, did not 
his hand dry up?' " (John 18:22.) 

SENATOR J. C. S. BLACKBURN: "I think the Sav- 
iour's dying exclamation the best sentence to be found either 
in the Bible or in any language — 'It is finished.' " (John 
19:30.) 

ALEX, Bishop of Argyle and the Isles, Scotland: 
"I doubt whether I should be right in naming any one 
verse or chapter of Holy Scriptures as more highly esteemed 
by me than the rest. But were I free to comply with your 
request I should perhaps fix upon the concluding chapters 
of St. John's gospel — those which relate to the Passion, the 
Death and the Risen Life of our divine Lord and Saviour." 

CHARLES M. SHELDON, author of In His Steps 
and a half dozen other stories which apply the teachings of 
Christ to daily living, and which have had a wider sale than 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 171 

most any other book since Pilgrim's Progress, the editions 
amounting to millions of copies: 

"I do not know as I have what might be called a favorite 
text or chapter in the Bible. But one that occurs to me 
oftener perhaps than any other is the command of Christ to 
Peter in the last chapter of John's gospel: 'What is that 
to thee? follow thou me.' (John 21:22.) This stands as 
a perpetual incentive to men to follow the personal commands 
of righteousness, regardless of what other men do or say, 
and regardless also of the consequences to one's self; and 
I do not know that there is greater need of such obedience 
in the world than at the present moment." 



CUajkJL^ M . @Huld 



<TLx^ 



172 FAVORITE TEXTS 



CHAPTER XV. 
ACTS. 

If the apostolic church were on trial the book of Acts 
would no doubt be put in the witness box. And if the church 
of today were on trial it would only be necessary to call as 
witnesses the missionaries to foreign fields, who have left 
home and friends and worldly prospects to tell the story of 
Christ among the heathen. Their testimony would certainly 
be believed because the weight of their lives ard added to it. 
Dr. Henry C. Mabie, secretary of the American Baptist Mis- 
sionary Union, said at the Ecumenical Conference of Mis- 
sions held in New York April, 1900, the greatest missionary 
gathering that the world has ever seen, that the word "wit- 
ness" occurred 175 times in the New Testament. He said 
that the word was synonymous with "martyr," adding that 
the profoundest impression to be carried away from the con- 
ference was that they had heard from actual living witnesses 
who had come back from the ends of the earth. 

THOMAS AQUINAS, says Dr. Mackenzie, once visited 
Pope Innocent the Fourth, and the pope displayed the rich 
treasures of the church and boasted that the time had gone 
by when the church must say, "Silver and gold have I none." 
"Yes," was the reply of the saintly Aquinas, "and the time 
has gone by when the church can say to the impotent man 
at the temple gate, 'Rise up and walk.' " (Acts 3: 6.) 

At the death of the five martyrs of Chambery, one, of 
them, Laborie, took up his fellow martyrs prayer and went 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 173 

through it, then repeated his creed in a loud voice, and gave 
up the spirit with amazing courage. John Trigolet, another, 
met his death serenely, and even joyously, praying for his 
enemies: "There are some among them who know not what 
they do. There are others who know well, but because be- 
witched by Satan and drunk with prosperity, they will not 
confess their real belief. But, my God, I beseech thee, loose 
their fetters." He added, "I behold thee, even now, high on 
thy throne, and heaven open, even as thou didst show it to 
thy servant Stephen." (Acts 7: 55, 56.) 

In the reign of Queen Mary (1554), William Hunter, 
nineteen years of age, was brought to the stake for the 
gospel, and recited the eighty-fourth Psalm while being 
bound. When the fire was kindled, he cast his Psalter into 
his brother's hand who said, "William, think of the holy pas- 
sion of Christ, and be not afraid." And William answered, 
"I am not afraid." Then lifting up his hands to heaven, he 
cried, "Lord, Lord, receive my spirit." (Acts 7:59.) 

Those who attended him at his martyrdom tried to move 
Cranmer to retract what he had said against the pope. Calm- 
ly refusing, he mounted the scaffold and gave himself to be 
bound to the stake. When he saw the first flame darting up, 
he stretched his right hand to it, crying, "This hand sinned — 
this wicked right hand!" That was the hand that had signed 
the retraction. He stood in motionless silence gazing up- 
ward. When the flames seized him, he was heard to say, 
"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then his form was hid by 
the flame and ascending smoke. (Acts 7: 59.) 

It seems that Barnum, the great showman, once wrote 
to Spurgeon, the great preacher, with the desire to engage 
the reverend gentleman to preach on exhibition, sight seers 
to be charged fifty cents for the privilege of hearing him. 



174 FAVORITE TEXTS 

Spurgeon replied by citing the tenth verse of the thirteenth 
chapter of Acts, which reads: "And said, O full of all sub- 
tility and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy 
of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right 
ways of the Lord?" (Acts 13: 10.) 

A. C. DIXON, D. D., pastor Hanson Place Baptist 
Church, Brooklyn: 

"I have many favorite texts. I love the one, 'Believe on 
the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved/ (Acts 16: 31), 
because it led me to the Saviour. I love the other, 'Lo, I am 
with you alway, even unto the end of the world,' (Matthew 
28: 20 R. V.), because it is my dependence in preaching. I 
love the third to the seventh verses of the thirty-seventh 
Psalm because they seem to cover every contingency of life." 

C. H. FOWLER, bishop of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, tells the following: "I sent a native preacher, a 
Chinaman, to his work in the Fuchau conference, who had 
this experience. After he was converted and had studied the 
New Testament not a little, he felt called to tell his country- 
men the good news. When he had fully settled that as his 
duty he went into the crowded street and got up on a little 
box and began preaching. Soon a mob gathered, knocked 
him down from his box, beat him with a bundle of bamboo 
rods, dragged him through the city and threw him over the 
wall for dead. He came to, went down to a little brook, and 
washed off the blood and dirt. Then he prayed, 'Lord Jesus, 
what wilt thou have me to do?' Then he went back to the 
same street, got up on the same box and preached again. 
Again the mob dragged him out and threw him over the wall 
for dead. After reviving he again prayed the same prayer, and 
went back to his box and began preaching. The mob beat 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 175 

him down, but the magistrate fearing to answer for his death, 
had him rescued and put in jail. There was a window which 
faced an open space, where the crowd had gathered and were 
throwing up dust and howling. When they quieted a little 
he pressed his bruised and bleeding face up against the grat- 
ings, and said: 'None of these things move me, neither 
count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my 
course with joy, and the ministry w T hich I have received of 
the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God.' " 
(Acts 20:24.) The bishop adds that the old martyrs could 
do no better than that, and says that he wanted to be sent 
to that people as his regular work. 

Ships now are anchored generally from the bow. The 
vessel on which the Apostle Paul was a passenger was an- 
chored from the stern. Lord Nelson anchored his fleet by the 
stern, both at the battle of the Nile and the battle of Copen- 
hagen; and after the latter battle he made the statement that 
he had that morning been reading the twenty-seventh chapter 
of Acts, in which are the words: "Then fearing lest we 
should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of 
the stern, and wished for the day." (Acts 27:29.) 



176 FAVORITE TEXTS 



CHAPTER XVI. 



PAUL'S LETTERS. 

The replies as to favorite texts would indicate that David 
was the best known author in the Old Testament, and John 
was best known of the four gospels, but if the letters or writ- 
ings of Paul are considered as one it is question as to which 
is the most familiar to the millions who accept the Bible as 
authority and live according to its teachings, whether the 
gospel of John or the letters of Paul. John may be called 
the authority of the inner Christian life and while Paul writes 
of that fully as much as John he shows how the inner life 
applies or should be applied to the outer or daily Christian 
life. While these 1 men only did their part, we find that from 
a natural standpoint these three men, David, John and Paul, 
are the best known, or most popular authors or writers, 
whose works are found in that marvelous library of sixty-six 
books called the Bible. But see II Peter 1:21. See also 
Acts 13: 22, John 13: 23, and Galatians 1: 15. 

ROMANS. 
WILLIAM COWPER, the poet who had been long de- 
pressed by religious melancholy, driving him to a state of 
despair, gives the following account of his conversion, which 
will serve to show the practical bearing and value of this 
important passage: "The happy period which was to shake 
off my fetters and afford me a clear discovery of the free 
mercy of God in Christ Jesus was now arrived. I flung my- 
self into a chair near the window, and seeing a Bible there 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 177 

ventured once more to apply to it for comfort and instruction. 
The first verse I saw was the twenty-fifth of the third chapter 
of Romans. Immediately I received strength to believe, and 
the full beams of the Sun of Righteousness shone upon me. 
I saw the sufficiency he had made for my pardon and justi- 
fication. In a moment I believed and received the peace of 
the Gospel. Unless the Almighty Arm had been under me, 
I think I should have been overwhelmed with gratitude and 
joy." (Romans 3:25.) 

LUTHER was in his early days blessed in the discovery 
of a Latin Bible, which he read most eagerly. Unmistakable 
leadings of God were these, preparing him for the lofty voca- 
tion to which he was appointed. When twenty-five (1508) 
he was summoned to the University of Wittenberg, where his 
especial employment was the delivery of lectures upon the 
scriptures. Four years later (1512) he received the degree of 
doctor of theology. He then "vowed to his most dear holy 
scripture, and made oath to it, to preach and to teach it most 
faithfully and clearly." Light already had dawned upon him 
on the leading principle of Christianity — justification through 
faith, without any merit of works. (Romans 3: 28.) 

W. M. UPCRAFT, missionary in Yachow, China, and 
one of the vice-presidents of the Anti-Opium League in 
China: 

"Romans 5:8: 'But God commandeth His love toward 
us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us' is 
the word of special value to me. Upwards of twenty years 
since, as a lad, I went into a gospel meeting and the preach- 
er's message was from this text. It laid hold upon my boyish 
heart and eventually brought peace to my soul convicted of 
sin and need. 

"As the years grow there is no lessening of the conscious 



178 FAVORITE TEXTS 

need of God's love shown freely to the ungodly. The Saviour 
therein revealed is as needed now and as precious as then he 
was to my stricken but delighted heart. 

"I joy in and gladly proclaim to others God's love and 
gift to the sinners who need." 

BOURDALONE was probing the conscience of Louis 
XIV, applying to him the words of St. Paul and intending to 
paraphrase them: "For the good that I would, I do not: but 
the evil which I would not, that I do." "I find two men in 
me — ." The king interrupted the great preacher with the 
memorable exclamation: "Ah, those two men, I know them 
well!" Bourdalone answered, "It is already something to 
know them, sire; but it is not enough, one of the two must 
perish." (Romans 7: 19, 25.) 

A message was brought on the last day of Wilberforce's 
life that the motion of his friend Buxton for the abolition of 
slavery had passed through Parliament. "Thank God," cried 
Wilberforce, who had given his life's effort for the freedom 
of slaves, "that I have been suffered to live to see this day 
when England is ready to sacrifice twenty millions of pounds 
sterling to emancipate her slaves!" After this last bright 
gleam, he was greatly prostrated by a fit of apoplexy. A 
friend said to him, "But you have your foot upon the rock." 
"I dare not speak so confidently," replied he, "but I hope 
that I have it there." (Romans 8: 24, 25.) 

HENRY C. MABIE, corresponding secretary of the 
American Baptist Missionary Union, that has been the means 
of over 300,000 conversions since 1819, about 100,000 of these 
in the last decade of the century: 

"We know that all things work together for good to 
them that love God, to them that are called according to his 
purpose." (Romans 8: 28.) 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 179 

JAMES H. COLE, evangelist and business man, said: 
"Romans 8:28; John 3:16, and Galatians 2:20, and all the 
other verses in the Bible." 

WM. HENRY ROBERTS, American secretary of the 
Alliance of Reformed Churches holding the Presbyterian 
system, church historian, and authority on church law: 

"My favorite chapter in the Bible is the eighth chapter 
of Romans. The reason for my choice is the fact that it 
states with clearness and great power the vital and permanent 
relation to the salvation of believers, of the gracious, ever- 
lasting and omnipotent love of God for sinners, in and 
through Jesus Christ our Lord." 

A. F. NIGHTINGALE, superintendent of High Schools 
in Chicago, quoted Romans 8: 28, and a.dded Psalms 103, Ro- 
mans 12 and Isaiah 65. 

JAMES HAMILTON LEWIS, congressman and law- 
yer, gave Romans 8: 28 as his favorite text and his faith. 

The account given of the death of Mr. Robert Bruce of 
Kinnaird is very beautiful in its simplicity: That morning 
before the Lord called him to his rest he came to breakfast 
at his table. After he had eaten, as his use was, a single egg, 
he said to his daughter, "I think I am yet hungry; you may 
bring me another egg, ,} and instantly fell silent; and, after 
having mused a little he said, "Hold, daughter, hold; my 
Master calleth me." With these words his sight failed him, 
and he called for the Bible, but rinding he was not able to 
read, he said, "Cast me up the eighth chapter to thf 1 Romans, 
verses twenty-eight to thirty-nine," much of which he re- 
peated, particularly "I am persuaded, that neither death nor 
life shall be able to separate me from the love of God, which 



ISO FAVORITE TEXTS 

is in Christ Jesus my Lord," and caused his finger to be put 
upon them, which was done. (Romans 8: 38, 39.) 

"Not many weeks before Garfield's assassination, walking 
on the banks of the Potomac with a friend, he said that he 
found the Lord's Prayer and the simple petitions learned in 
infancy infinitely restful to him, not merely in their stated 
repetition, but in their casual and frequent recall as he went 
about the daily duties of life. Certain texts of scripture had 
a very strong hold on his memory and his heart. He heard, 
while in Edinburgh some years ago, an eminent Scotch 
preacher who prefaced his sermon with reading the eighth 
chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, which book had been 
the subject of careful study with Garfield during all his re- 
ligious life. He was greatly impressed by the eloquence of 
the preacher and declared that it had imparted a new and 
deeper meaning to the majestic utterance of St. Paul. He 
referred often in after years to that memorable service, and 
dwelt with exaltation of feeling upon the radiant promise and 
the assured hope with which the great Apostle of the Gentiles 
was persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor 
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things 
to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall 
be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in 
Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38,39.) — James G. 
Blaine in Garfield memorial address. 

A. MERENSKY, prominent in German missionary in- 
terests, and who gave the response to the welcome to Ger- 
man delegation at Ecumenical conference, 1900: 

"By the grace of God the eighth chapter of the Epistle 
to the Romans has been for me a source of light and spiritual 
blessing during my life. 

"When I was a student my own experience of grace was 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 181 

severely tested and shaken by the so-called results of Bible 
criticism. Then I was consoled and righted again when I 
saw that even our most determined critics could say nothing 
against the authenticity of the Epistles to the Romans. I 
found especially what St. Paul says in chapter seven and 
eight did so completely corroborate what I had experienced 
in my own inner life that I at once got a firm stand in my faith 
again. The verses from fourteen to eighteen, chapter eight, 
did then and have very often since then held me up in times 
of peculiar temptation. 

"Also in the time of my active service in the mission 
field when my congregation in the country of the Chief 
Fekukuni in Transvaal, 1864-1873, had to suffer very severe 
persecution, I myself and my poor but very heroic native 
Christians have been very often comforted by the verses 
from verse thirty-one to the end of the chapter, especially 
by verse thirty-seven: 'In all these things we are more than 
conquerors through him that loved us.' " (Romans 8: 14, 18, 
and 31, 37.) n ' _ 

TRACY McGREGOR, of the Helping Hand Mission, 
< now the McGregor Mission, Detroit, who with his father, 
who was engaged in the same work, has done more than al- 
most any other two men in the country for the unemployed: 
"I suggest Romans 8: 32. In 1887 I attended the second 
student conference at Northfield, and the boys obtained the 
signatures in their Bibles of a number of the speakers. Mr. 
Moody wrote his name in my Bible and gave this passage 
as a reference." 

WM. H. DeHART, prominent Reformed Church clergy- 
man, gave eighth chapter of Romans and John 3: 16 as his 
favorites. 



182 FAVORITE TEXTS 

EUGENE R. HENDRIX, bishop Methodist Episcopal 
Church South: "Romans 8: 10: 'For if while we were yet 
enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his 
Son, much more being reconciled, shall we be saved by his 
life/ I heartily approve of any effort looking toward satur- 
ating the mind with Holy Scripture. It was the charm of 
Tennyson's speech as it was of his writings." 

J. C. BRECKENRIDGE, brigadier general and in- 
spector general of the U. S. Army since 1881, had his horse 
shot under him in the Santiago campaign, and promoted for 
gallantry during Civil war: "It gives me pleasure to add my 
testimony to that of others as to the power and the effect of 
a knowledge of the word of God. But as to selecting my 
favorite text, that is a different matter; where all is so good. 
However, I take pleasure in calling to your attention the 
eighth chapter of Romans, particularly the thirty-eighth and 
thirty-ninth verses." 

JNO. JOHNSON, rector St. Phillip's P. E. Church, 
Charleston, during civil war was fifteen months engineer in 
charge of Fort Sumter during the heavy and prolonged 
bombardments: 

"The first text which God seemed to open to me, when 
I began, at 21 years of age, to read the Bible with any degree 
of earnestness was in Romans, eighth chapter, twenty-sixth 
and twenty-seventh verses. It encouraged me mightily to 
see that my poor efforts at prayer were spoken of as groan- 
ings of my spirit, that were both inspired and helped by the 
Spirit of God, making intercession through my (our) hu- 
manity before the throne on high." 

MARGARET WILSON, a comely young woman, is be- 
lieved to have been the last of Scotland's martyrs. She and 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 1S3 

her sister attended conventicles, and were finally arrested. 
Her father succeeded in purchasing the freedom of the 
younger sister, but nothing but the recantation of the older 
one would satisfy the church authorities. She was steadfast, 
however, and two stakes were driven in Wigton bay sands 
when the tide was out, and Margaret and an older companion 
were tied to them. Her mother cried, "Gie in, gie in, and tak 
the oath." But her only reply was to chant the twenty-fifth 
Psalm. The water having risen to her waist she repeated the 
latter part of the eighth chapter of Romans, verses thirty-five 
to thirty-nine, "Who shall separate us from the love of 
Christ?" The incoming swells silenced her voice. 

A gentleman, who thought Christianity was merely a 
heap of puzzling problems, said to an old minister, "That is 
a very strange verse in the ninth chapter of the Epistle to 
the Romans, 'J ac °k have I loved, but Esau have I hated.' " 

"Very strange," replied the minister; "but what is it, 
sir, that you see most strange about it?" 

"Oh, that part of course," said the gentleman, patroniz- 
ingly, and with an air of surprise, " 'Esau have I hated' is 
certainly very strange." 

"Well, sir," said the old minister, "how wonderfully are 
we made, and how differently constituted. The strangest part 
of all to me is that he could ever have loved Jacob." (Ro- 
mans 9: 13.) 

JOHN LOCKE, author of the celebrated essay, Con- 
cerning the Human Understanding, said when dying: "O 
the depth of the riches of the goodness and knowledge of 
God!" (Romans 11:33.) 

JOSEPH COOK, the well-known lecturer and author: 
"A sermon on Romans 12: 1, with emphasis on 'mercies' 



184 FAVORITE TEXTS 

and 'reasonable,' preached by the Rev. John Nattocks in 
Keeseville, New York, in 1853, was the chief human instru- 
mentality in causing me to make up my mind to try to do 
my duty." He quoted that text as his favorite: "I beseech 
you therefore,, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye pre- 
sent your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, 
which is your reasonable service." 




D. B. EDDY, of the Yale Missionary Band, which trav- 
eled throughout the United States renewing and creating in- 
terest in missions: "The most prominent text in my mind 
the year just gone has been: 'That ye may prove what is 
the good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.' " (Ro- 
mans 12: 2.) 

ALICE NIELSON, opera singer, made her debut as a 
star in The Fortune Teller: "Recompense to no man evil 
for evil." (Romans 12: 17.) 

W. A. PEFFER, ex-congressman, publisher and literary 
man: "My favorite chapter is the twelfth of Romans. My 
favorite verse is: 'Owe no man anything, but to love one 
another; for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.' " 
(Romans 13:8.) 

MR. AND MRS. CLOUGH, of the Lone Star Mission, 
in India, retired by agreement into separate rooms for prayer 
over a crisis, brought about by the conversion of some low- 
caste Brahmins. The higher classes threatened to withdraw 
their support and their interest in the schools. Simultaneously 
each picked up a Testament in the different rooms and opened 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 185 

to I Corinthians 1:26-31. They saw the solution and each 
started to meet the other. "See here what I have been read- 
ing," said Mrs. Clough. "But I have been reading the same," 
said he, adding, "Did you know it?" "No, indeed," was the 
reply. — A. T. Pierson. 

JAMES GUTHRIE, first Scotch clergyman who fell a 
martyr under the persecution of Charles Second: 

"I take God to record upon my soul," said he, "that I 
would not exchange this scaffold with the palace or mitre of 
the greatest prelate in Britain. Blessed be God, who upon 
such a poor creature as I am has bestowed his grace, has 
revealed his son in me, has called me as a preacher of his 
gospel, and deigned by his Holy Spirit to seal my labors, in 
spite of the opposition of Satan and of the world, in not a 
few hearts of this people." In closing, he cried, "Jesus 
Christ is my light and my life. He is my wisdom, righteous- 
ness, sanctification, and redemption." (I Corinthians 1:30.) 

JOHN M. WILSON, brigadier general, chief of engi- 
neers, who have charge of all the river and harbor improve- 
ments, fortifications, etc., promoted for gallantry during the 
Civil war: 

"The Holy Scriptures contain such a wealth of exquisite 
texts that it seems to be almost impossible to name one por- 
tion more beautiful than another, but there comes to my mind 
as I write those glowing words, contained in the second 
chapter of St. Paul's first epistle to the Corinthians, ninth 
verse: 'Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have en- 
tered into the heart of man, the things which God hath pre- 
pared for them that love him.' " 



^t. <7?Zig^_ 



186 FAVORITE TEXTS 

MR. HUME once wrote an essay on the sufficiency of 
the light of nature, and the no less celebrated Robertson 
wrote on the necessity of Revelation, and the insufficiency of 
the light of nature. Hume came one evening to visit Robert- 
son, and the evening was spent on this subject. The friends 
of both were present, and it is said that Robertson reasoned 
with unaccustomed clearness and power; whether Hume was 
convinced by his reasoning or not we cannot tell, but at any 
rate he did not acknowledge his convictions. Hume was 
very much of a gentleman and as he rose to depart bowed 
politely to those in the room, while as he retired through 
the door, Robertson took the light to show him the way. 
Hume was still facing the door. "Oh sir," said he to Rob- 
ertson, "I find the light of nature always sufficient;" and 
continued, "pray don't trouble yourself, sir," and so he bowed 
on. The street door was opened, and presently as he bowed 
along in the entry he stumbled over something concealed, and 
pitched down the stairs into the street. Robertson ran after 
him with a light, and as he held it over him, whispered softly 
and cunningly, "You had better have a little light from above, 
friend Hume." And raising him up, he bade him good night 
and returned to his friends. (I Corinthians 3: 18.) 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 187 



CHAPTER XVII. 
CHARITY OR LOVE— I CORINTHIANS 13. 

The thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians is, no doubt, 
next to the fourteenth chapter of John, the most popular 
and best known chapter in the New Testament. It was the 
text for that famous little booklet of Henry Drummond's, The 
Greatest Thing in the World, and as may be noted is the 
favorite of Protestant, Catholic and Jew, and by some who 
have no particular belief. And it is no doubt used sometimes 
as a plea for consideration by those in error and enemies in 
fact to the gospel of which it is a part. But notwithstanding 
this, there is a wide place for its practical application to the 
every-day life of the world, both believing and unbelieving. 

HIS REVERENCE CARDINAL GIBBONS: "In re- 
ply to your letter I beg leave to give you the first verse of 
the thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians: 'If I speak with 
the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am 
become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.' " 

^ ' C*~* ' $ <*&?•>%-* 

MARY A. LIVERMORE, reformer and lecturer for the 
advancement of women, and temperance: 

"I was reared in a family where my father insisted that 
each of his children should read the Bible through once a 
year, and from the age of seven years, to that of twenty- 
three, I read the Bible through, under my father's system- 
atization, yearly. It gave me such familiarity with the good 



188 FAVORITE TEXTS 

book that I am still called in my home, 'The family con- 
cordance.' It would be difficult for me to single out any one 
text from the Bible as my favorite where there are so many 
that I am continually quoting. But the one I rejoice in ex- 
ceedingly is the thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians." 

PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR, author and poet: "My 
favorite chapter is the thirteenth of First 'Corinthians, and my 
favorite text the opening words." 

J. HENRY THAYER, professor of criticism and in- 
terpretation of New Testament, Divinity School Harvard, and 
author: "One hesitates to pronounce any text or chapter his 
favorite. So much depends on one's varying moods, and all 
is so sacred. But whoever commits to memory, and keeps 
it there, I Corinthians 13, will in my judgment do much to 
bring himself into sympathy and likeness to him who is love." 

T. P. MARSH, president of Mount Union College, 1888- 
1898: "Among so many choice gems it is difficult to have a 
preference. If I have any — my mind and heart linger most in 
First Corinthians, thirteenth chapter, the most brilliant dia- 
mond of all." 

JAMES LONGSTREET, commissioner of railroads, 
and prominent in the Confederate army, and Soloman J. 
Homer, national secretary of the Choctaw nation, both ex- 
press their preference for I Corinthians 13. Kuno Francke, 
professor of German literature at Harvard, gave the same 
expression, adding: "No chapter in the Bible is to me a 
deeper and more constant source of joy and comfort." 

RICHARD J. GATLING, inventor of the revolving gun 
known as the Catling gun, and also inventor of valuable ag- 
ricultural machinery: 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 189 

"My favorite chapter is the thirteenth of First Corin- 
thians, which inspires us to love all mankind. My favorite 
verse is the twelfth of the seventh chapter of Matthew, which 
teaches us our duty to others. I also greatly admire Ec- 
clesiastes 11:9, which contains much wisdom." 

-CORNELIA E. JAMES, principal of Training School 
for Kindergartners: 

"When I was twelve years old I committed to memory 
the thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians. Of course I un- 
derstood very little of its wonderful meaning at that time, but 
it became a part of me; and as I grow older I love that chap- 
ter, I think, more than any other; it is inexhaustible in the 
depth of its significance, the power of its suggestiveness and 
the sweetness of its assurances. Perhaps you will be inter- 
ested to know how I taught my children in the years when 
they were young and therefore impressionable. I selected 
twelve texts, or verses, whose initial letters correspond to the 
initial letters of the hours of the day and they committed them 
to memory, with the promise that always when they heard 
the clock or the bell strike the hour they would repeat them. 
It proved to be very helpful and beautiful. " 

When one goes to martyrdom it is supposed that they 
should have the benefit of all the comfort possible, but when 
their executioners use texts from the very word for which 
they are going to suffer to preach a sermon against them, it 
would seem to more than fill their cup of bitterness. At the 
burning of those two scholarly and excellent men, Bishops 
Ridley and Latimer, Dr. Smith, who had disputed with them 
previously as to their doctrines, preached a sermon from 
I Corinthians 13: 3: "Though I give my body to be burned, 
and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." The sermon 
was short, but full of abuse of the two "heretics" and of ex- 



190 FAVORITE TEXTS 

hortations to recant. When the sermon was finished the 
condemned men begged leave to say a few words, and were 
refused except on the condition that they recant. Ridley 
said, "So long as the breath is in my body I will never deny 
my Lord Christ and his known truth. God's will be done 
in me." 

BISHOP RIDLEY, the martyr, was born in Northum- 
berland about the year 1500. He acquired the rudiments of a 
liberal education at Newcastle-on-Tyne. He then went to 
Cambridge University, forming a love for her which lasted his 
life long. He grew in mind and heart so gently and con- 
tinually that no period can be assigned for his spiritual 
awakening. He was an able, virtuous, zealous champion of 
truth, as the truth dawned upon his mind. When a student, 
taking his pleasure walks in the garden of Pembroke Col- 
lege, he learned by heart first Paul's epistles, then the whole 
New Testament, in the original Greek. When confronting 
death he took joy from this, saying that it had been to his 
advantage his life through, and if a goodly part had vanished 
from his recollection, he still trusted he should carry its 
fragrance up to heaven with him. 

HENRY GEORGE, author and one of the leading re- 
formers and friends of the masses of the nineteenth century, 
in an interview with Cardinal Manning, said to him: "I loved 
the people, and that love brought me to* Christ as their best 
friend and teacher." The Cardinal replied, "And I loved 
Christ, and so learned to love the people for whom he died." 

I CORINTHIANS— Continued. 
CHARLES MAJOR (Edwin Caskoden), author of 
When Knighthood was in Flower": "The text of scripture 
which has most seriously affected my life — 'For now we see 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 191 

through a glass darkly; but then face to face: * * *' " 
(First Corinthians 13: 12.) 



(s^o-U^Tru^^ 



KIRK MUNROE, author of numerous stories of ad- 
venture, and editor of Eminent Men of Our Time, quoted: 
"Faith, hope, and charit}', but the greatest of these is charity." 
(First Corinthians 13:13.) 

When making a visit to Spurgeon, we are told that 
Ruskin said, "Mr. Spurgeon, Paul was no gentleman." "Oh," 
said the pastor, "why so?" "Well, he calls the man who 
differs from him a fool. He says, Thou fool, that which 
thou sowest is not quickened except it die.' Now as a matter 
of fact Paul was ignorant of the process of the reproduction 
of the grain. That which is sown does not die; if it did it 
would abide alone." "Excuse me, Mr. Ruskin," said Spur- 
geon, "it is you who are ignorant and not Paul, for you don't 
know what the true definition of death is; let me tell you. 
Death is the resolution of any compound body into its original 
elements. A grain of wheat is compound; when it is put 
into the ground it is resolved by the chemical action of the 
soil into its original elements, and that is its death; and out 
of the central germ of life is then produced the blade, the 
ear and full corn on the ear; and if it did not die so it would 
abide alone. The apostle is right after all." And John Ruskin 
courteously acknowledged himself corrected. (First Corin- 
thians 15:36.) 

HENRY WARD BEECHER, distinguished American 
clergyman, for many years pastor of Plymouth Congrega- 
tional Church, Brooklyn, N. Y., when dying, said: "Now 
comes the mystery." (First Corinthians 15:51.) 



192 FAVORITE TEXTS 

MAY WRIGHT SEWALL, president of the Interna- 
tional Council of Women, the motto of which is "Do unto 
others as ye would that others should do unto you," says: 
"There are two scripture texts that are present to my con- 
sciousness, namely: 'The Lord maketh the stars to differ one 
from another in glory, but each star has its own glory/ (I 
Corinthians 15:41.) 'We are all members of one body. No 
member can suffer that the whole body does not suffer with 
it, neither can any member be honored that the whole body 
doth not rejoice with it.' I think these two are more vital 
in my life than any others." 

A. J. GORDON, noted Baptist preacher and spiritual 
apostle, author of a number of books, How Christ Came to 
Church, and writer of several hymns, My Jesus I love thee, 
etc. : "Victory" was the answer that he made to the physician, 
who asked him how he was just before his death. He fol- 
lowed the prayer of his wife, sentence by sentence, but when 
he tried to pray for himself he expired. (I Corinthians 
15:54,57.) 

At fifteen years of age a lad heard John Flavel, the Puri- 
tan, preach from the text, If any man love not the Lord Jesus 
Christ, let him be anathema maranatha. (I Corinthians 
16:22.) The sermon seemed to make no impression. A 
soldier in Cromwell's army and present at the execution of 
Charles I, the young man cared nothing for religion, and 
when he emigrated to America lived a whole life-time in utter 
neglect of its claims. At length when one hundred years of 
age he was working on his farm at Middlesboro, when sud- 
denly the word to which he had listened eighty-five years be- 
fore flashed on his mind. He saw once more the preacher 
rising to pronounce the benediction, he heard his tones as he 
exclaimed: "How shall I bless this whole assembly, when 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 193 * 

every person in it who loveth not the Lord Jesus is anathema 
maranatha!" He became bitterly conscious that through all 
these intervening years no minister had blessed him, and then 
and there he sought mercy at the hands of a long neglected 
Saviour, and to extreme old age, for he lived fifteen years 
after that time, bore his testimony to the irresistible power 
of the word of God and to the marvelous mercy of its author. 

II CORINTHIANS. 

Over the triple doorways of the Cathedral of Milan there 
are three inscriptions spanning the splendid arches. Over one 
is carved a beautiful wreath of roses, and underneath is the 
legend, "All that which pleases is but for a moment." Over 
the other is sculptured a cross, and there are the words, "All 
that which troubles us is but for a moment." But underneath 
the great central entrance to the main aisle is the inscription, 
"That only is important which is eternal." If we realize 
these three truths, we will not let trifles trouble us, nor be 
interested so much in the passing pageants of the hour. We 
would live, as we do not now, for the permanent and eternal. 
(II Corinthians 4: 17, 18.) 

JAMES H. POTTS, clergyman, editor, and author of 
several books, quoted II Corinthians 5: 1, and adds: 

"From the period of my earliest recollection to my six- 
teenth year I heard my good father repeat the above text 
more or less frequently in his prayers at the family altar. 
It is very precious to me." 

DANIEL A. GOODSELL, bishop Methodist Episcopal 
Church and for some years literary editor of the New York 
Christian Advocate: "If any passage is a favorite it is II 
Corinthians 8. 9: Tor ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus 



194 FAVORITE TEXTS 

Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became 
poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich/ " 

JAMES G. K. McCLURE, president of Lake Forest 
University: "The verse of the Bible through which light 
came to me so that I realized God's willingness to receive 
me, even though I lacked such a sense of sin and such a 
strength of faith as I thought necessary, is II Corinthians 
8: 12: 'For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted ac- 
cording to that a man hath, and not according to that he 
hath not.' " 

ANDREW MURRAY, author of With Christ in the 
School of Prayer, and many similar books, leading divine of 
South Africa, and recognized spiritual authority the world 
over: 

"God is able 

to make all grace abound toward you; 

that ye, always 

having all sufficiency 

in all things, 

may abound to every good work." 

(II Corinthians 9:8.) 

He adds: "God enable us by his Holy Spirit to believe 
it and prove it true." 

J. C. HAVEMEYER, railroad director and capitalist: 
"A text which has been much, before my mind of late is 
John 14: 1. The assurance that the Master gave that our 
heart need be troubled by nothing in our circumstances nor 
that may befall us, has greatly comforted and encouraged me. 
Another text is II Corinthians 9:8. The extent of the 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 195 

promise or assurance of this passage gives me the feeling 
that there is before me a perfect Niagara of divine love, com- 
passion and interest." 

H. W. WEBB-PEPLOE, vicar of St. Paul's, Onslow, 
and prebendary St. Paul's Cathedral, London: "A very large 
number of texts have been, in my lifetime, of special service 
to me, through the goodness of God; but that if I have to 
choose one out of the whole book which has been of special 
help to me, I should mention the words in II Corinthians 
12: 9: 'My grace is sufficient for thee,' which were made by 
God's mercy at a time of special trial a blessing of remarkable 
force to my soul. It is now twenty-six years since this mes- 
sage was given to me. 

"It had pleased God to remove my youngest child under 
circumstances of peculiar trial and pain, and I had just laid 
my little one's body in the church yard when, on returning 
home, I felt it my duty to preach to my people on the mean- 
ing of trial, and finding that this text was in the lesson for the 
following Sunday, I chose it as my Master's message to them 
and myself; but, on trying to prepare my notes, I found 
that in honesty I could not say that the words were true and 
therefore knelt down and earnestly asked God to 'Let his 
grace be sufficient for me,' and while I was thus pleading I 
opened my eyes and saw a framed illuminated text, which 
my mother had given me only a few days before, and which 
I had told my servant to place upon the wall during my 
absence at the holiday resort where my little one was taken 
away from us. I did not notice the words on returning to 
my house, but as I looked up and wiped my eyes, the words 
met my gaze, 'My grace is sufficient for thee.' The 'is' was 
picked out in bright green, while the 'my' and the 'thee' were 
painted in another color. In one moment the message came 



196 FAVORITE TEXTS 

straight to my soul, as a rebuke for offering such a prayer 
as 'Lord let thy grace be sufficient for me:' for the answer 
was almost as an audible voice, 'You fool, how dare you ask 
for that which is? God cannot make it any more sufficient 
than he has made it: get up and believe it and you will find 
it true, because the Lord says it in the simplest way: "My 
grace is (not shall be or may be) sufficient for thee." ' 

" 'My,' 'is,' and 'thee' were from that moment, I hope, 
indelibly fixed upon my heart; and I (thank God) have been 
trying to live in the reality of the message from that day 
forward to the present time. The lesson that came to me, 
and which I seek to convey to others, is, Never turn God's 
facts into hopes or prayers, but simply use them as realities 
and you will find them powerful as you believe them." 



CHARLES READE, the novelist, author of The 
Cloister and the Hearth, Peg Woffington, Put Yourself in 
His Place, etc., when dying said: "Amazing, amazing glory! 
I am having Paul's understanding." He referred to II Corin- 
thians 12:1,4, which had previously been the subject of a 
conversation with a friend. He wrote his own epitaph: 

"Here lie by the side of his beloved friend, the mortal 
remains of Charles Reade, dramatist, novelist and journalist. 
His last words to mankind are on this stone." He then gives 
his hopes for resurrection, future happiness and holiness and 
bespeaks intercession of God, quoting at the last, John 6:37 
and I John 2:1. It is believed that no such logical and 
scriptural argument for eternal life and future happiness and 
acceptance has ever been presented on a tomb. 

JONATHAN EDWARDS gave a very thrilling account 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 197 

of what happened to him after reading the first chapter of 
Paul's First Epistle to Timothy. He says that he had an 
inlet of spiritual light and joy that was like a revelation of the 
"things that are above." "From that time I began to have a 
new idea of Christ, and the work of redemption and the 
glorious way of salvation by him. I had a view that was ex- 
traordinary of the glory of the Son of God, his pure and 
precious grace and gentle condescension. This grace that ap- 
peared so sweet, appeared also great above the heavens. The 
person of Jesus Christ became ineffably excellent with an 
excellency great enough to swallow up all conception. This 
view continued about an hour, and kept me in a flood of 
tears and weeping aloud!" (II Corinthians 12: 1.) 

EUGENE STOCK, editorial secretary Church Mission- 
ary Society, England: 

"In reply I may give the following text, which I have 
often given to missionaries going abroad, as a farewell mes- 
sage: '* * * For when I am weak, then I am strong/ 
II Corinthians 12: 10." 



\wyt^^/>v{ 



198 FAVORITE TEXTS 



CHAPTER XVIII. 
GALATIANS TO THESSALONIANS. 

COLUMBAN, Irish saint and missionary, after visiting 
England, went to Gaul and founded a monastery at Luxeuil; 
cotemporary of St. Patrick, would often go away into the 
woods, taking his Bible, reading and meditating as he walked, 
or as he sat against the trunk of a tree. On Sundays and 
holidays he would seek a cavern, or some lonely place, and 
give himself to prayer and meditation on divine things. His 
faith and religion were not based on human inventions, but 
the word of Holy Scripture. Thence he got the food of his 
inner life, and formed the image of Christ within him. This 
direct intercourse with the Lord, the head of the church and 
life of believers, was his especial characteristic. Self-forget- 
fulness, humble resignation, and obedience to God's will 
constituted the life of his soul. "He treads earth beneath 
him," said Columban, "who conquers himself. No one dies 
to the world unless Christ lives in him. Live in Christ, and 
Christ lives in thee. We must take heaven by violence, beset 
not only by our enemies, but most of all by ourselves. If 
thou hast conquered self, thou hast conquered everything." 
(Galatians 2:20.) 

EDWIN P. PARKER, writer and composer of several 
hymns and tunes, and compiler of two or three hymnals: 
"The one sentence which I like best, as remarkable for its 
simplicity, as for its comprehensiveness and fullness, is found 
in the twentieth verse of the second chapter of St. Paul's 
epistle to the Galatians: 'Who loved me, and gave himself 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 199 

for me.' My favorite chapter is the thirteenth of I Corin- 
thians, St. Paul's incomparable hymn of love." 

GEO. F. PENTECOST made successful evangelistic 
tour in Scotland and went on special mission to the English- 
speaking Brahmins, author of ten volumes of Bible studies, 
and many other books: "My favorite texts are many, cover- 
ing many phases of spiritual need and supply. Just now I 
am rejoicing in Ephesians 1:3." 

HENRY C. SMITH, United States Representative: 
"There are so many texts that I often quote that it is hard 
to choose, but I think the one that I regard the strongest is: 
'Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.' (Gala- 
tians 6:7.) I also much admire: 'Judge not that ye be not 
judged' and 'No man can serve two masters * * * ye 
cannot serve God and mammon' and 'Owe no man any- 
thing.' " 

In his speech on Porto Rico, he said: 

"Mr. Speaker, I believe with the great Bismarck that 
this world is not ruled from below. I believe with him that 
there is a God of nations and a God of battles that points the 
victory for the right. I believe that we can trace the finger 
of God in the rise and fall of nations. At the birth of our 
Saviour the commercial center of the world was in the distant 
East. Then it passed on to Babylon and Nineveh, and then 
on to Carthage, and then to Rome, and on to England. And 
I believe that that great pendulum is now swinging over the 
United States. 'Westward the star of empire takes its way.' " 

EPHESIANS. 
A. C. DIXON, the Baptist divine, in addition to giving 
his favorite texts, says: 

"There are two expressions in scripture I prize very 



200 FAVORITE TEXTS 

highly. One is: 'The riches of his grace/ (Ephesians 1:7.) 
These riches flow to us through Christ on the cross, and no 
one who has them can be poor. The other expression is: 'The 
riches of his glory.' (Romans 9: 23.) And these riches come 
to us through Christ on the throne, and all who will have 
them are abundantly rich. ... If the manna God pre- 
pares satisfies the soul, why go back to Egypt for a single 
meal?" 

GEO. D. MACALPINE, English delegate to the Ecu- 
menical Conference, 1900, New York, says that he has many 
favorite texts, but gives as an example, "Ephesians 2: 10, the 
Christian's pledge of divine guidance, and the simple plan 
of a good man's life." 

CHARLES C. McCABE, bishop of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, and familiarly known as Chaplain McCabe, 
chaplain in the Civil war and was captured and put in Libby 
prison four months: "Two favorite chapters with me are 
Ephesians 2 and Philippians 2." 



&tf«^6s & tfPjtQ~£^. 



I i ,,«.,.-.■ , 

The greatest of modern hymns had its spiritual birthplace 
in a barn. About the year 1756, a bright lad of sixteen, the 
son of Major Toplady, was taken by his widowed mother to 
visit some relatives in Ireland. During this visit at the ham- 
let of Codymain, an earnest layman was holding evangelistic 
services in a barn for the benefit of the surrounding peas- 
antry. The young lad, Augustus Montague Toplady, was 
attracted to the place by curiosity. The homespun preacher's 
text was that day, "Ye who sometimes were far off are made 
nigh by the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2:13.) Up to 
that time the boy had been a stranger to the great salvation, 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 201 

but the plain discourse led him to Jesus. He was converted 
that day, and the sermon that converted him gave in the end, 
to Christendom the matchless hymn "Rock of Ages." Truly 
the faithful servant of God who scatters his seed upon the 
waters little knows whereunto it may grow, or after how 
many days he may find it. That plain Irish preacher was 
setting in tune that day a youthful heart which should yield 
the marching song to millions on their way to glory. 

EGERTON R. YOUNG, missionary of the Northwest, 
and author of By Canoe and Dog Train, On the Indian Trail, 
and several others: "Unto me, who am less than the least of 
all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among 
the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ." (Ephesians 
3:8.) 



L 




MARY E. WILKINS, author of a number of books de- 
lineating New England character and contributor of short 
stories to magazines and periodicals: 

"Until we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the 
knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the 
measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." (Ephe- 
sians 4: 13.) 1. r\ \ *„ 

REV. MARK WILKES once introduced his text in this 
manner: "My hearers, did you ever see a cat? Did you ever 
see a cat walk? Did you ever see a cat walk upon the top 
of a wall? Did you ever see a cat walk upon the top of a 
wall covered with broken glass? How carefully she lifted 
each foot! How slowly and cautiously she set it down 
again! So would the text from which I am about to speak 



202 FAVORITE TEXTS 

have you act. 'See that ye walk cir-cum-spect-ly. , " (Ephe- 
sians 5: 15.) 

It is supposed that the Bible was first used in national 
pageantry at the coronation of young Edward VI. "When 
three swords were brought," writes Strype, the historian, 
"signs of his being king of three kingdoms, he said there 
was one wanting. And when the nobles about him asked 
what that was, he answered the Bible. 'That book/ added 
he, 'is the sword of the spirit, and to be preferred before these 
swords.' And when the pious young king had said this, he 
commanded the Bible with the greatest reverence to be 
brought and carried before him." (Ephesians 6: 17.) 

PHILIPPIANS. 
A. W. PITZER, pastor of Central Presbyterian Church, 
Washington, which he organized in 1868, after a year of 
evangelistic work, connected with a number of theological 
institutions, and author of a number of books: "My motto 
text for forty years has been Philippians 1: 21." 

JOHN CALVIN, who it is said was needed in the 
church of his day just as much as Luther, Knox or Wesley, 
and has left as great an impress on the history of Protestant- 
ism as any other, notwithstanding his great sufferings in his 
last days occupied himself with the Bible and prayer. When 
Farel, in his eightieth year, heard of his sickness, he wrote 
he would visit him. Calvin's reply was as follows: "Fare- 
well, my best and most right-hearted brother, and since God 
is pleased that you should survive me in this world, live 
mindful of our friendship, of which, as it was useful to the 
church of God, the fruit still awaits us in heaven. I would 
not have you fatigue yourself on my account. I draw my 
breath with difficulty, and am daily waiting till I altogether 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 203 

cease to breathe. It is enough that to Christ I live and die; 
to His people he is gain in life and death. Farewell again, 
not forgetting the brethren." (Philippians 1:21.) 

FREDERICK WILLIAM L, king of Prussia, son of 
Frederick I., his dying words were: "Herr Jesu, to thee I 
live; Herr Jesu, to thee I die; in life and in death thou art 
my gain." 

CHARLES LAMB and some of his friends were talking 
in a jocose way as to what they would do if some of the 
world's greatest teachers and heroes were to enter the room, 
when one asked, "What if Christ were to enter?" At once 
Lamb altered the tone of his voice and said, "If Shakespeare 
were to enter, we would all rise and greet him with the great- 
est veneration, but if Christ were to enter, we should all 
kneel." (Philippians 2: 10, 11.) 

ARCHBISHOP WHATELY, shortly before he died, 
hearing Philippians 3:21 read, stopped the reader, remarking 
that our version did not do justice in this case to the sense 
of the original, and that it should be, "This body of our 
humiliation;" adding, "Nothing that he made is vile." 

E. E. CHIVERS, general secretary of the Baptist Young 
People's Union of America, and editor of the Baptist Union: 
"Philippians 4: 6, 7: It was tested and tried in a dark hour, 
when the promise of life was overcast. It contains a philo- 
sophy of the Christian life which, if wrought out in practice, 
would admit one into the secret of peace. Rev. P. S. Henson, 
D. D., once put its teachings tersely in the sentences: 'The 
bane of the world is care; the cure of care is prayer; the 
end of prayer is peace.' " 

ALBERT D. SHAW, commander-in-chief of the Grand 



204 FAVORITE TEXTS 

Army of the Republic for several years previous to 1900: 
"Philippians 4:11: 'I have learned, in whatsoever state I 
am, therewith to be content.' " 



Aa^4jr^ffxc 



The first ruler of England who was really worthy to 
follow Elizabeth in the true succession — Oliver Cromwell — 
when he himself stricken with fatal illness, heart broken at 
the death of his favorite daughter, Mrs. Claypole, listened 
to Paul's great assurance, "I can do all things through Christ 
which strengtheneth me," and put his own hand and seal to it 
with the words, "This scripture did once save my life; when 
my eldest son died, which went as a dagger to my heart; in- 
deed it did." (Philippians 4: 13.) 

ARTHUR T. PIERSON, editor Missionary Review of 
the World: 

"In answer I think it wise just to send the enclosed 'bank- 
note.' (The note is similar to a regular bank-note, having 
engraved on it, 'My God shall supply all your need according 
to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus')." He has given away 
upwards of fifty thousand of these to missionaries, Christian 
workers and others. Mr. Spurgeon died with one on the 
shelf before him. (Philippians 4: 19.) 

CYRUS D. FOSS, bishop Methodist Episcopal Church 
since 1880, quotes as his favorite, Philippians 4: 19. 

FREDERICK WELLINGTON (Wallis), bishop of 
Wellington, New Zealand, wrote that Philippians 4: 9 has 
proved its truth during many years. 

CHARLES GEORGE GORDON, better known as 
"Chinese Gordon," and finally as hero and martyr of Khar- 
toum, was once stationed at Gravesend, England, and as- 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 205 

signed work in connection with the defenses of the Thames 
in process of construction. A friend was calling one day 
at his room. He saw above Gordon's mantlepiece a map 
of the world. Out of it projected pins, stuck here and there. 
What did those pins mean, the caller wanted to know. Gor- 
don told him they marked the course of various boys at sea, 
and as they sailed from port to port he shifted the pins. He 
also prayed for them as they sailed the deep blue sea. These 
boys had been at evening classes at Gordon's house. Fired 
with enthusiasm, he taught them as if leading them on to 
victory. It is said, he titled them his "kings." Often he 
secured for them a chance to go to sea. Then he followed 
them in thought, in act also in one sense, carefully sticking 
his pins into the world map. Finally putting prayer-wings 
to his good wishes, they were wafted up to the bosom of 
the heavenly Father. (Colossians 1: 9.) 



206 FAVORITE TEXTS 

CHAPTER XIX. 
MI THESSALONIANS TO REVELATIONS. 

In 1873 at the earthquake at Manila, in the Philippine 
Islands, the cathedral fell upon a crowded congregation. Es- 
cape was impossible, and the walls and arches had fallen in- 
ward in such a way that they mutually supported each other 
for some little time, before the whole cathedral collapsed. 
Powerless to aid, the crowd outside could yet hear what was 
going on within. They heard the words, "Blessed are the 
dead which die in the Lord," and shortly afterward above the 
groans and wails of pain, the same voice arose, reciting the 
sixteenth verse of this chapter, (I Thessalonians 4: 16) "The 
Lord himself shall descend from Heaven . . . and the 
dead in Christ shall rise first," and then the crumbling mass 
crushed down upon the doomed assembly. 

JULIA WARD HOWE'S magnificent Battle Hymn of 
the Republic, written at the outbreak of the Civil War, is full 
of scripture thought from different books of the Bible, but 
the theme in the first line and in fact throughout the song, 
is the corning of the Lord, and II Thessalonians 2: 8 is more 
in spirit with the thought than any of the other texts on this 
subject. The first verse is: 

"Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord; 
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath 

are stored; 
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift 
sword; 

His truth is marching on," 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 207 

The last verse is: 
"In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, 
With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me; 
As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free, 
While God is marching on." 

John Habberton, author of Helen's Babies, says: 
"The old air has a wonderful influence over me. I heard 
it in Western camp meetings and negro cabins when I was a 
boy. I saw the twenty-second Massachusetts march down 
Broadway singing the same air during a rush to the front 
during the early days of the war; I have heard it sung by 
v/arrior tongues in nearly every Southern state; my old bri- 
gade sang it softly, but with a swing that was terrible in its 
earnestness, as they lay behind their stacks of arms just be- 
fore going into action; I have heard it played over the grave 
of many a dead comrade; the semi-mutinous — the cavalry be- 
came peaceful and patriotic again as their bandmaster played 
the old air, after having asked permission to try his hand on 
them; it is the tune that burst forth spontaneously in our 
barracks on that glorious morning when we learned that the 
war was over, and it was sung with words adapted to the 
occasion by some good rebel friends of mine on our first 
social meeting after the war." — Hymns that have helped. 

JOHN G. BRADY, Governor of Alaska, has had a career 
somewhat similar to Henry M. Stanley. He was a homeless 
orphaned waif in New York city, and was taken west with a 
car load of children, and was adopted into the family of Judge 
Green in a small town in Indiana. He was educated and be- 
came a missionary to Alaska, then a teacher and later gover- 
nor: 

"One of my favorite texts, for practical life, is found in 
II Thessalonians 3: 10, 'When we were with you, this we com- 
manded you, that if any would not work, neither should he 



208 FAVORITE TEXTS 

eat/ My own translation of the Greek imperative is, 'Do not 
let him eat.' The curative text for hobos." 

I AND II TIMOTHY. 

HOWARD OSGOOD, professor of Hebrew Crozer The- 
ological and Rochester Theological Seminaries, and member 
of the American Committee for the revision of the Old Testa- 
ment: 

"One of my beloved texts is 'Faithful is the saying and 
worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the 
world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.' I Timothy 1: 15. 
I most fully believe in committing parts of the Bible to heart 
— and while I have striven to do that — I have for forty years 
urged upon all my students (for the ministry) that they 
should make it their chief business to become, by reading over 
and over, and over and over, the whole Bible in English, and 
to commit large parts of it to memory. If one begins slowly 
and accurately, say a verse a day, a year would fasten in his 
mind forever the epistles to the Galatians and Ephesians. If 
men really were familiar with the words of the New Testament 
we should hear less of the difficulties with the Old — or both 
together must be rejected." ^^^fr^ 

H. CLAY TRUMBULL, editor of the Sunday School 
Times, and probably the greatest authority on Sunday School 
matters in the United States, chaplain in the Civil War, and 
author of a number of Biblical and Sunday School books; 
does not agree with the statement in the request, that the 
committing to memory of Bible texts was disappearing. He 
says: "I do not accept the statement as in accordance with 
the facts, any more than I would the statement that men 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 209 

travel more slowly than they did in former years/' He adds: 
"I have had special comfort in the assurance in I Timothy 
1:15, 'Faithful is the saying and worthy of all acceptation 
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners/ That 
text gives me hope, and I cannot be excluded from it." 

D. HOWELL, dean of St. David's Church of England, 
commends the practice of committing texts, and desires very 
much to have it re-established. He gave the following texts 
as his favorites: I Timothy 1: 15; I John 2: 1, 2; I John 4: 10; 
Romans 5: 1. 

H. MARTYN HART, dignitary of the Protestant Epis- 
copal Church: 

"I enclose you the hundred texts, which are used by the 
Mildmay Deaconesses in London. The deaconesses them- 
selves learn them by heart and you may hear literally hun- 
dreds of children taught by them in the slums of London who 
can say the hundred texts without a mistake. They tell me 
it is astonishing how the committal of these texts prevents 
unscriptural teaching. 

"One text which is always in the forefront of my memory 
is: This is a faithful saying and worthy of acceptation/ etc. 
(I Timothy 1: 15.) A workingman at the Crystal Palace, 
London, was terribly distressed in conscience about his sin. 
On a certain Thursday before Good Friday he was in the 
Egyptian Court at the noon hour, leaning against a pillar and 
praying for mercy, when he suddenly heard a voice, as he 
thought, coming to him direct from heaven, repeating this 
text, which brought him comfort and peace. It was Mr. 
Spurgeon, who was to preach next day and was trying his 
voice to see how he could be heard. 

"Another text which is one of my standbys is Leviticus 
13: 13, 'If the leprosy cover all the skin, etc., he is clean,' " 



210 FAVORITE TEXTS 

WILLIAM BLAKE LARK, president of English Bible 
Christian Conferences and frequent contributor to denomina- 
tional magazines: 

"II Timothy, chapters 1 and 2 — Read by me every Sat- 
urday evening in preparation of the heart for Sunday truth, 
during the first twenty years of my ministry." 

JOSEPH 'COOK, in addition to giving the text which 
was the means of "his determining to do his duty," gave the 
following' from the margin of the revised version of II Tim- 
othy 1:6: 

"Stir into flame the gift of God which is in thee." 

S. H. CHESTER, Secretary Foreign Missions Southern 
Presbyterian Church: 

"The text I hope to have in mind when I die is: T know 
whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to 
keep that which I have committed (my deposit) unto Him.' " 

QUEEN ELIZABETH opened the prisons on her com- 
ing to the crown, and someone piously told her that there 
were still some good men left in prison, and desired that they 
also might partake of her princely favor — meaning the four 
Evangelists, and Paul, who had been forbidden to walk 
abroad in the English tongue, whilst her sister swayed the 
sceptre. To this she replied that they should be asked 
whether they were willing to have their liberty; which being 
the case they were liberated, and have ever since spoken to 
us in our own tongue, both in public and private. (II Tim- 
othy 2:9.) 

DR. CHALMERS was once in company at a nobleman's 
place with a Highland chief. The chief was much interested 
in the doctor's brilliant conversation. The two were shown 
into adjoining rooms to sleep. While preparing for bed, the 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 211 

chief was prostrated by apoplexy, and soon died. This event 
called forth the following to those who had gathered round 
the corpse: "Never in my life did I see, or did I feel, before 
this moment, the meaning of that text, 'Preach the word; be 
instant in season, and out of season.' Had I known that my 
venerable old friend was within a few minutes of eternity I 
would have addressed myself earnestly to him; I would have 
preached unto him and to you, Christ Jesus, and him cruci- 
fied; I would have urged him and you, with all the earnestness 
befitting the subject, to prepare for eternity. You would have 
thought it, and you would have pronounced it, out of season; 
but, ah! it would have been in season, both as it respected him 
and as it respects you." (II Timothy 4: 2.) 

H. B. GIB BUD, evangelist and author of a number of 
effective short stories, Sermonizing Sophie, etc.: 

" Tt is finished,' John 19: 30. These words with all they 
imply mean as much to me as any text. For my work text I 
like, 'Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season.' " 
(II Timothy 4:2.) 

EDMUND RICE, colonel Twenty-sixth infantry, U. S. 
V., in the Philippines, 1900, and prominent in military circles 
from the time of the Civil war, in which he received a medal 
for bravery; commander of Columbian Guards at the World's 
Fair : • 

"Many and beautiful are the texts that might be quoted, 
but the one that has inspiration and completeness and that 
appeals most strongly is from II Timothy 4: 7 — 'I have fought 
a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.' 
He may be counted happy of whom that may at the end be 
said." 

BISHOP BEDELL, translator of the Book of Common 
Prayer from English into Italian, and under whose direction 



212 FAVORITE TEXTS 

the Old Testament was translated into Irish, Bishop of Kill- 
more and Ardagh, 1570-1642; when he came to die, said: "I 
have finished my ministry and my life together; I have kept 
the faith, 'and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which 
I have committed unto him against that day.' " (II Tim- 
othy 4:7, 8.) 

JOHN CHARLTON, member of the Canadian House 
of Commons since 1872, taking a leading part in legislation re- 
garding morals: 

"I think upon the whole that my favorite chapter is the 
second of Timothy, fourth chapter, and my favorite text the 
seventh and eighth verses. I am led to this choice from my 
deep admiration of the character of St. Paul, the great mis- 
sionary to the Gentiles, whose activity, energy, courage, intel- 
lectual attainments and devotion challenge my deepest admira- 
tion. I reflect upon his career, voluntarily abandoning a high 
position among his people, and accepting all the trials and 
dangers that encountered him in his career, which he briefly 
relates in II Corinthians eleventh chapter. I think of him in 
Rome at his second imprisonment, when the Christians were 
proscribed, and Nero had decided to stamp out Christianity 
in the torture and blood of his victims, and arraigned before 
Nero when the Lord stood with him and strengthened him, 
that by him the preaching of the gospel might be fully known 
and that all Gentiles might hear, when he was delivered out of 
the mouth of the lion. I speculate upon the character of the 
speech then delivered, and hunger for some intimation of its 
marvelous eloquence and power. I think of him in the lonely 
dank dungeon, so cold as to make him long for the old cloak 
he left at Troas; so little to employ his mind as to make him 
think with longing of the books and parchments that were left 
behind. I think of his consciousness that the end was near, 
and of his ability, amid all his squalid and miserable surround- 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 213 

ings, to utter the magnificent words of the text I have select- 
ed. He was a great soldier, actuated by a single purpose, ex- 
pressed by him in the words This one thing I do.' He is my 
beau ideal of a Christian hero and a Christian teacher. ,, 

HEBREWS. 

LOUIS ALBERT BANKS, said by The Independent to 
be the best example of the people's preacher, and author of 
some thirty or more volumes: 

"There are so many texts of scripture that are dear to me 
that it is a little hard to select one and say that that is my fa- 
vorite text. Still, on the whole, I feel pretty sure that verses 
24, 25 and 26 of the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, which tell 
the story of the choice of Moses, have been more valuable to 
me than any other. In my young manhood I was once at a 
great crisis of my life. I had come to the point where two 
ways met. I was compelled to decide whether I would go on 
with my desired profession of the law or definitely give it up 
and consecrate myself to the ministry. The immediate re- 
wards of the law were so much more alluring that it became 
to me in my narrow sphere fully as important as the choice 
of Moses. It was while things were still hanging in the 
balance that I went one morning into the country in Oregon 
to hear an old man preach a sermon. It was the only sermon 
I ever heard him preach and I have never seen him since. 
The verses I have indicated was his text and in a plain and 
simple, but tremendously earnest manner he brought out the 
choice of Moses and the wisdom of it. Sitting there in that 
little church in the country that would not hold more than 
two hundred people, with perhaps half that many farmers sit- 
ting around me that morning, I made my choice. I have 
great reason to thank God for it, and naturally that scripture 
has been very precious to me ever since." (Hebrews 11: 24-26.) 



'214, FAVORITE TEXTS 

CASPAR W. HI ATT, prominent Congregational clergy- 
man: 

"The whole Bible is dear to me and it would be difficult 
to select one golden text as the most helpful of all, since the 
moods of life are many and there is a word just fitted to 
every mood. Perhaps it would be safe to say that I have de- 
rived great encouragement under many trials from the saying 
first delivered to Joshua and afterwards reiterated by the 
writer of Hebrews, viz.: 'I will never fail thee nor forsake 
thee.' This has been a sort of scriptural vade mecum in the 
fifteen years of my pastoral service." (Hebrews 13: 5; Joshua 
1:5.) 

JOHN WANAMAKER, ex-postmaster general, mer- 
chant and Sunday School superintendent: 

"One of my favorite texts is: ' .. * * '* He is a re- 
warder of them that diligently seek Him.' " (Hebrews 11: 6.) 



%h^tfev 



ELWOOD FURNAS, president of the National Farm- 
ers' Alliance: 

"The chapters I love most are the tenth and twelfth chap- 
ters of Hebrews." 

PHILLIPS BROOKS' charm exerted over children was 
well brought out by the saying of a little girl of five, who was 
always delighted when she happened to meet the young- 
hearted bishop out for a walk. He had a word and a smile 
for her, and became her companion without seeming to stoop. 
The day the bishop died her mother came into the room 
where the child was playing, and, holding the bright little 
face between her hands, said tearfully: "Bishop Brooks has 
gone to heaven." "Oh, mamma," was the reply, "how happy 
the angels will be!" (Hebrews 1: 14, 12: 22.) 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 215 

DR. A. SCHREIBER, prominent in German missionary 
interests and delegate to the Ecumenical Conference of Mis- 
sions, New York, 1900: 

"I have a great number of texts that are very dear to me; 
for instance, I 'Corinthians 13, John 14 and 15, Hebrews 
12: 1, 3, but I cannot write them down all. Let me write only 
one, that is peculiarly important and dear to me, but I'll do it 
in German, Hebrews 13: 14 'Denn wir haben hier keine 
bleibende Statte, sondern die zukiinftige suchen wir.' " 

JAMES. 

JAMES A. GREER, rear admiral U. S. Navy, comman- 
der of a division of Admiral Porter's squadron at passage of 
Vicksburg batteries: 

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man.be swift 
to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath." (James 1: 19.) 

E. L. GODKIN, journalist, and for many years editor of 
the New York Evening Post: 

"Pure religion and undented before God and the Father 
is this: 'To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, 
and to keep himself unspotted from the world.' " (James 
1:27.) 

BRONSON HOWARD, author of a number of plays and 
dramatic critic: 

"James 1:26, 27 — This was also my father's and grand- 
father's favorite text; handed down to me as a rule of life 
from them. I do not profess to have lived up to it; but it is 
well to have an ideal." 



f 7!£jr~&%ig-&%* ^r^c^%^/^9^^f 



I AND II PETER. 
ROWLAND HILL, popular, pious, but eccentric 
preacher, 1745-1833, said when dying: "Christ also hath once 



216 FAVORITE TEXTS 

suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring 
us unto God." (I Peter 3: 18.) 

MAX PEMBERTON, English novelist, author of a 
dozen well-known stories of merit and some time editor of 
Cassell's Magazine: 

" 'Who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that 
which is good?' (I Peter 3: 13.) It was impressed upon my 
mind by a sermon I heard preached by Canon Knox Little 
when I was seven years old." 

J. GORDON GRAY gave the following touching inci- 
dent: 

"II Peter 1: 11 — 'For so an entrance shall be ministered 
unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our 
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ/ This has been one of my 
favorite texts ever since I saw it realized in the departure of 
a sister, who had been naturally reticent as to her spiritual 
experience, but had been adding to her faith virtue, and to 
virtue knowledge, etc., as the choir master prepares his chor- 
isters for some great occasion, and 'lo,' as a matter of course, 
the abundant entrance was ministered unto her into the ever- 
lasting kingdom without any effort on her part." 

I, II AND III JOHN. 

GEN. O. O. HOWARD, United States Army (retired), 
chevalier of the French Legion of Honor, and author of sev- 
eral books: 

"Oh, yes, my favorite Psalm is the twenty-third, King 
James version. Once when delivered in a wonderful manner 
from a heavy burden, I looked up and saw on the tent pole 
my army tablet, beginning: 'The Lord is my shepherd,' etc., 
and Tsaid, 'Sure enough, why didn't I think of it?' 

"My favorite passage is 'The blood of Jesus Christ His 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 217 

Son, cleanseth us from all sin' — I John 1: 7. That text quoted 
in Hedley Vicars' biography brought about my conversion." 

JOHN WESLEY was once stopped by a highwayman, 
who demanded his money. After Wesley had given it to the 
man, he called him back and said: "Let me speak one word 
with you. The time may come when you may regret the 
course of life in which you are engaged. Remember this: 
'The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.' " He 
said no more, and they parted. Many years afterwards, when 
he was leaving a church in which he had been preaching, a 
person came to him, and asked if he remembered being way- 
laid at such a time, referring to the fore-named circumstances; 
and Mr. Wesley replied that he did. "I," said the individual, 
"was the man. That single verse on that occasion was the 
means of total change in my life and habits. I have long 
since been attending the house of God and reading the word 
of God, and I hope I am a Christian." (I John 1: 7.) 

On the tombstone of Frances Ridley Havergal, the hymn 
writer, is carved, at her own request, her favorite text: "The 
blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin." 
(I John 1:7.) 

HENRY HARRIS JESSUP, 1860-1900, missionary at 
Beirut, Syria, and author of several books on Syrian subjects: 

"I John 1:7." 

JOHN HENRY BARROWS, president of Oberlin col- 
lege, and organizer and president of the World's Parliament 
of Religions: 

"My favorite text is I John 1: 9." 

W. R. MOODY, oldest son of D. L. Moody, and upon 
whom the chief burdens of his father's work fell: 



218 FAVORITE TEXTS 

"He that doeth the will of God abideth forever." (I John 
2:17." 

It was the words of the Apostle John (I John 2: 1) that 
steadied the soul of Sir Walter Raleigh when, after wild and 
stormy experiences, his days of pilgrimage drew to a close, 
and in the immediate prospect of the scaffold he could look 
beyond to the final court of decision: 

For there is Christ, the King's attorney, 
Who pleads for all without degrees, 
And he hath angels, but no fees. 
And when the grand twelve-million jury 
Of our sins with direful fury, 
'Gainst our souls black verdicts give, 
Christ pleads his death, and then we live. 

TENNYSON, in one of his letters, says: "I am housed 
at Mr. Wildman's, an old friend of mine in these parts. He 
and his wife are two perfectly honest Methodists. When I 
came I asked her after news, and she replied: 'Why, Mr. 
Tennyson, there is only one piece of news that I know, that 
Christ died for all men.' And I said to her: This is old news, 
and good news, and new news'; whereat the old woman 
seemed satisfied. I was half yesterday reading anecdotes of 
Methodist ministers, and liking them, too; and of the teach- 
ing of Christ — the purest light of God." (I John 4: 7.) 

His son and biographer says of him: "That my father 
was a student of the Bible, those who have read his In Me- 
moriam know. He also read all notable works within his 
reach relating to the Bible. He hoped that the Bible would 
be more and more studied by all ranks of people, and ex- 
pounded simply by their teachers." A favorite expression of 
his was: "The love of God is the true basis of duty, truth, 
reverence, loyalty, love, virtue and work." On the occasion 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 210 

of the Lord's Supper being administered to him a few months 
before he died, he quoted his own words: 

"It is but a communion, not a mass; 
No sacrifice, but a love-giving feast." 

RICHARD HENRY SAVAGE, senior major U. S. V., 
Engineer Brigade, war with Spain, three years in the Egyp- 
tian army, and author of a number of books: 

"The First Epistle of John, chapter five, verse twelve: 
'He that hath the Son, hath life; and he that hath not the 
Son of God, hath not life.' " 

W. CALEDONIA (Right Rev. William Ridley), bishop 
of Caledonia since 1879, missionary of the Church Missionary 
Society, etc.: 

"I John 1:7, latter clause — Ever since the moment I 
thought my last hour had come, when in great peril on the 
banks of the Indus in 1866." 



/^//tl^^nccx, 



ROBERT COLLYER, Unitarian clergyman, learned 
blacksmith trade, which he followed after coming to the 
United States, pastor of Church of Messiah, New York, and 
author: 

"God is love." (I John 4:16.) 

• LOUIS IX., who accompanied his army when thirteen, 
and took the government at eighteen, presents a spectacle of 
piety in the middle ages that is interesting: 

He assembled his children every evening "to teach them 
the fear of God." He presented the promises and threaten- 
ings of God, and related examples of good and bad rulers. 
Once, at such a time, he said to his oldest son Louis, who 
died sooner than himself, "I would prefer that some Scotch- 
man or other foreigner should take the people of this realm 
and rule well and lawfully than that thou shouldst ever rule 



220 FAVORITE TEXTS 

blamefully and badly." He began a letter to his daughter Isa- 
bella, Queen of Navarre, with the following words: "My 
beloved daughter, I beseech thee, love our Lord with all thy 
might, for without it none can have anything good. Nor is 
any so worthy of our love as the Lord, to whom all his crea- 
tures may cry, 'Thou art my God, and ever doest good to me, 
who sent his Son into the world resigned to death in order 
to save us from dying eternally/ To love him, my daughter, 
is to thine own advantage, and the measure of this love must 
be to love him beyond measure. He deserves our love, since 
he first loved us." (I John 4: 19.) 

REVELATION. 

SAVONAROLA began on the 1st of August, 1489, to 
give expositions of the Book of Revelation in the church of 
the convent. He was well versed in the Old Testament 
prophets, and devoted to the study of the future. His lead- 
ing thought was God's church must be regenerated; but first 
Italy must be sorely chastened by God; both events must soon 
come to pass. The church reform which he looked for was 
to be moral and religious. Church offices were to be re- 
stored to the primitive pattern. The poor were to have relief 
from the church's superfluous riches. All must repent, and 
the whole community submit to the rule of the spirit. Pro- 
phesying of reformation, he preached also repentance. 

JOHN BUNYAN'S last words were said to have been: 
"We shall meet ere long to sing the new song, and remain 
happy forever in a world without end." (Revelation 5: 9.) 

BOLTON HALL, lawyer, lecturer and reformer: 

"I get the most out of the text, Revelation 14: 13: '* * 

They rest from their labor and their works do follow them.' 

It is used as the fore-word to George's Social Problems and 

first called my attention to the moral aspect of the land ques- 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 221 

tion. Besides this, it is the great stay when we sow the seed 
of which we shall never see the fruit — 'our works do follow 
us.' For a chapter, it seems to me that there is none more 
applicable to present day needs than Matthew 6. The provis- 
ion of God's natural law for our earthly wants is so clearly 
set out that it is a balm for all anxieties." 

In our own time no picture has more powerfully affected 
English art than Holman Hunt's lovely figure of "Christ the 
Light of the World." That picture, as the artist has lately 
told us, is the memorial of his own conversion. It was in the 
period of a spiritual struggle waged within a singularly sensi- 
tive nature, that this conception came to the young painter. 
"Youth," he says, "offered me bribes on both sides — pleasures 
of the material or of the Spiritual kind — and as I was weigh- 
ing all, I came upon the text: 'Behold, I stand at the door, 
and knock.' The figure of Christ standing at the door haunt- 
ed me, gradually coming in more clearly defined meaning, 
waiting in the night — every night, near the dawn; with a light 
sheltered from chance extinction in a lantern; with a crown 
on his head, bearing also that of thorns; with body robed like 
a priest, but in a world with signs of neglect and blindness. 
You will say that it was an emotional conversion, but there 
were other influences outside of sentiment." (Revelation 
3:20.) 

PETER MacKENZIE was preaching once from the text, 
"And they sang a new song," and he said: "Yes, there will 
be singing in heaven, and when I get there I shall want David 
with his harp and Paul and Peter and other saints gather 
round for a song. And I will announce a hymn from the 
Wesleyan Hymnal. Let us sing hymn No. 749 — 'My God, 
my Father, while I stray.' But some one will say, That won't 
do. You are in heaven, Peter; there is no straying here/ 



222 FAVORITE TEXTS 

And I will say, 'Yes, that is so/ Let us sing No. 651 — 
Though storms and waves go over my head.' But another 
saint will say, 'Peter, you are in heaven now; you forget that 
there are no storms here.' 'Well, I will try again. No. 536 — 
'Into a world of ruffians sent.' 'Peter! Peter!' some one will 
say, 'we will put you out unless you stop giving out inappro- 
priate hymns.' And I will ask, 'What shall we sing?' And 
they will say, 'Sing the new song, the song of Moses and the 
Lamb.' " (Revelation 5: 9.) 

In the Public Gardens of Boston there stands a monument 
erected to commemorate the proving of the anaesthetic power 
of ether at the Massachusetts General Hospital, in 1846. It 
consists of a granite shaft rising from a square basin and 
crowned with statues of the Good Samaritan and his suffer- 
ing protege. On the sides are four inscriptions, two speak 
of the work of ether in relieving human sufferings by causing 
insensibility to pain; the others have the following quotations 
from Scripture: 

"Neither shall there be any more pain." — Revelation. 

"This also cometh forth from the Lord of Hosts, which 
is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working." — Isaiah. 
(Revelation 21:4; Isaiah 28:29.) 

GEORGE C. STEBBINS, writer of music for hymns 
and Gospel songs: 

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; 
and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, 
neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things 
have passed away." (Revelation 21:4.) 



Lfcv ^McS^tu^ 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 223 

HUGH MACKAIL, a youthful Scotch preacher, when 
he saw some of his friends present at his martyrdom in tears, 
said: "Weep not, but rather pray and thank God, who has 
sustained me, and who will not leave me at this last hour of 
my earthly pilgrimage; for my trust and recompense is his 
promise — 'I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain 
of life freely'; I hear the call, 'The Spirit and the bride say, 
come!' I say to you, my friends, I go to my Father and your 
Father, to my God and your God, to the holy apostles and 
martyrs, to the city of the living God, to heavenly Jerusalem. 
I say to all, Farewell; He will be to you a better comforter 
than I, and will refresh me better than you are able. Fare- 
well, farewell in the Lord." He sang the thirty-first Psalm on 
his way to the scaffold. (Revelation 21: 6.) 

There is an old story of some monks who had read to 
them by the Theologian, the Book of Revelation. When 
he had gone through it, he asked his hearers which promises 
they would choose above the rest. One answered, "I will take 
this, 'God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.' " Another 
said, "This should be mine, 'To him that overcometh will I 
grant to sit with me on my throne.' " And the third replied, 
"I should choose, 'His servants shall serve him.' " The third 
was Thomas A. Kempis, who afterwards wrote The Imitation 
of Christ. (Revelation 22: 3.) 



224 FAVORITE TEXTS 



CHAPTER XX. 

ONE HUNDRED TEXTS AND ONE HUN- 
DRED CHAPTERS. 

Dean Hart of Denver, the well-known dignitary of the 
Episcopal Church, enclosed with his reply The one hundred 
texts of the Society for Irish Church Missions (Protestant). 
The same list of texts was included in the reply of Corinna 
Shattuck, known as the heroine of Oorfa, in charge of an or- 
phanage there. 

The Dean said in his letter: "I enclose you 'the hundred 
texts' which are used by the Mildmay Deaconesses in Lon- 
don. The deaconesses themselves learn them by heart, and 
you may hear literally hundreds of children, taught by them 
in the slums of London, who can say the hundred texts with- 
out a mistake." He added that it is astonishing how the 
committal of these texts prevents erratic propaganda. 

The Irish Church Missions in publishing them gives the 
following information as to how they can be used to best 
advantage in Sunday Schools: 

Visitors to Irish Church Mission Schools almost in- 
variably express their surprise and delight at the wonderful 
knowledge and intelligent use of the words of scripture shown 
by children attending the Missions Schools. 

This is generally attributed to the use of the well-known 
One Hundred Texts, which have proved so valuable an ad- 
junct to missionary work in Ireland, that they have been 
frequently introduced into English schools, and yet very 
seldom indeed with success. 

This is, we believe, due partly to the general use in Mis- 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 225 

sion Schools of prayer for the Holy Spirit before imparting 
any religious instruction, also to the fact that the system 
adopted in Mission Schools is seldom followed elsewhere, 
and that the texts are too often learned only as so many dis- 
tinct units without the interesting and instructive comparison 
of scripture with scripture, which is one of the most marked 
characteristics of the mission work. 

To enable superintendents and teachers in Sunday 
Schools to adopt this system, and make the subject interesting 
to their pupils from the very start, and thus to avoid the 
weariness of merely learning a long string of disconnected 
texts which are soon forgotten, the texts in each ten have 
been re-arranged under seven heads: 1. Sin. 2. The Saviour. 
3. Pardon. 4. The Mediator. 5. The Holy Spirit. 6. The 
Holy Scripture. 7. Controversial. 

This has been done so as to enable each class to learn 
a different text, while all are nevertheless on the same or 
kindred subjects. Consequently, it will be possible for the 
superintendent at the close of school to give a very inter- 
esting examination of all classes together. This is always 
looked forward to with great interest by teachers and scholars, 
as it tests proficiency of all, and the work of each class throws 
some light on that of all the others. 

Suppose, for instance, that in a school consisting of but 
five classes, each class on any one day learns the first text 
of a separate ten — first class the first ten, second class the 
second ten, and so on. At the end of school the superintend- 
ent asks one or two of each class in turn to repeat their text; 
thus all the school hear five texts on sin. He then asks the 
meaning of all hard words, and examines them on all the 
texts. Thus, to Class 1 — How many are sinners? Answer, 
All (Rom. 3:23). Class 2— What is the punishment of sin? 
Answer, Death (Rom. 6:23). Class 3 — Was David a sinner? 



226 FAVORITE TEXTS 

Answer, Yes (Ps. 51: 5). Class 4 — Does God see secret sins? 
Answer, Yes (Gen. 6:5). Class 5 — What authority does St. 
Paul appeal to? Answer, The Scripture. Class 1 — What 
have we come short of? What is the -meaning of the "Glory 
of God?" Who was made in the image of God? Class 5 — 
Who received the promise? Class 2 — What is the gift of 
God? Any Class — What do you pay for a gift? Have you 
received the gift of God? Class 3 — Are young children sin- 
ners? Class 4 — Whence do evil thoughts come? And so on. 

It will be seen that sometimes one ten contains two or 
even three texts on a subject on which another ten contains 
only one, but this is not any hindrance to the examination 
where the subjects are so closely connected. 

At the close of the first quarter each class will have learnt 
one ten intelligently. During the second quarter let the tens 
be transposed through the classes; Class 1 learning the 
second ten, Class 2 the third, and so on. In this way, at the 
end of the year, each child will have learnt at least forty texts 
by heart, and will have become skillful in the use of the 
"Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." 

THE FIRST TEN. 



1. 

2. 
2. 
2. 
3. 


Rom. 3:23. 
John 14:6. 
Matt. 11:28, 29, 30. 
John 3: 16. 
I John 1:7. 


4. I Tim. 2:5, 6. 

5. Luke 11: 13. 

5. John 5:39. 

6. Mark 10:13, 14. 

7. Matt. 4:10. 




THE SECOND 


TEN. 


1. 

2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 


Rom. 6:23. 
Rom. 5: 1, 2. 
Acts 16:29, 30, 31. 
John 14: 13, 14. 
John 14:26. 


5. John 4: 24. 

6. II Tim. 3: 15. 

7. Eph. 2:8, 9, 10. 
7. Acts 4: 12. 

7. Luke 1:46,47. 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 227 

THE THIRD TEN. 
1. Psalm 51:5. 4. Heb. 7:25. 

1. John 3:3. 5. John 16:13. 

2. John 6: 35. 6. Acts 17:11. 

2. Eph. 2:1. 7. Rom. 8:1. 

3. Luke 18: 13. 7. Luke 23: 42, 43. 

THE FOURTH TEN. 
1. Gen. 6:5. 4. I John 2: 1, 2. 

1. Jer. 17:9, 10. 5. II Peter 1:21. 

2. I Tim. 1: 15. 6. I Pet. 2: 2, 3, 4, 5. 

2. Isaiah 53:5, 6. 7. John 15:4, 5. 

3. Isaiah 1:18. 7. I Cor. 3:11. 

THE FIFTH TEN. 

1. Gal. 3:22. 4. Heb. 4:15, 16. 

2. Gen. 3:15. 5. Eph. 2:18. 

2. Heb. 2:14, 15. 6. Matt. 22:29. 

3. I Pet. 1:18, 19. 7. Isaiah 55:1. 
3. Heb. 9:22. 7. Hdb. 10:14. 

THE SIXTH TEN. 

1. Psalm 32: 5. 5. John 15: 26. 

2. Acts 13: 38, 39. 6. II Tim. 3: 16, 17. 

2. Rom. 8: 32. 7. Acts 10: 42, 43. 

3. I John 1:8, 9. 7. John 6:45. 
3 and 4. Luke 24: 45, 46, 47. 7. Rev. 14: 13. 

THE SEVENTH TEN. 

1. I Cor. 2:14. 5. Gal. 5:22, 23, 24. 

2. Matt. 9:12, 13. 6. Deut. 4: 2. 

2 and 3. Rom. 1: 16, 17. 6. Deut. 6:6, 7. 

4. John 10:27, 28. 7. Isaiah 42:8. 

5. Ezek. 36: 26, 27. 7. II Kings 18: 3, 4. 

THE EIGHTH TEN. 

1. I Kings 8: 38, 39. 4. Heb. 9: 24, 25, 26. 

1. Rom. 3: 19, 20. 5. John 7: 37, 38, 39. 

2. Jer. 23:5, 6. 6. Isaiah 8:20. 
2. John 4: 13, 14. 6.. John 12:48. 

3 and 4. II Cor. 5: 20, 21. 7. Acts 3: 20, 21. 



228 FAVORITE TEXTS 

THE NINTH TEN. 

1. Rom. 6:1, 2. 6. I Thess. 2:13. 

2. I John 4: 16. 6. James 1: 21, 22. 
2 and 3. Isaiah 43: 25. 7. Isaiah 26: 3, 4. 

4. Rom. 10: 12, 13. 7. I Cor. 11: 26. 

5. Rom. 8:14, 15. 7. I Cor. 14:19. 

THE TENTH TEN. 

1. Dan. 9: 18. 4 and 5. Rom. 8: 26, 27. 

2. Phil. 3:7, 8, 9. 6. Luke 1:3,4. 

2. Jude 20, 21. 6. John 20:30, 31. 

3. Rom. 3: 24, 25, 26. 7. I Tim. 4: 1, 2, 3. 
3. I Cor. 15: 55, 56, 57. 7. Rev. 22: 8, 9. 

ONE HUNDRED FAVORITE CHAPTERS. 

When Prof. W. W. White was in India conducting 
Bible conferences, he co-operated with the editor of the 
Young Men of India in securing from Christian men all over 
the world their favorite Bible chapter. The request was as 
follows: 

"What are the best one hundred chapters in the Bible? 

"What are the best thirty chapters in the Bible? 

"What are the best ten chapters in the Bible? 

"Ask yourself: What chapters would I select were I and 
everybody else in the world compelled to give up all the 
Bible except one hundred chapters? What chapters would I 
select if all were to be given up except thirty, and if all ex- 
cept ten?" 

To each one voting, information as to results were 
promised. These results, replies having been received from 
several thousand Bible students throughout the world, were 
published in America in The Record of Christian Work and 
are given herewith. 

The hundred chapters chosen were as follows: 

Gen. 1, 2, 3, 22. Acts 2, 9, 10, 16. 

Exod. 12, 20, 28, Rom. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11. 

Lev, J6 f I Cor, 3, 12, 13, 15 f 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 229 

Num. 14. II Cor. 5, 8, 9, 12. 

Josh. 6. Gal. 2. 

Judges 7. Ephes. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6. 

I Kings 18. Phil. 2, 3, 4. 

II Kings 19. Col. 3. 

II Chron. 20. I Thess. 5. 
Psalms 23, 32, 51, 72, 91, 119. II Thess. 2. 

Isa. 53, 55. Heb. 4, 9, 10, 11, 12. 

Jer. 23. James 1. 

Dan. 2, 3, 6, 9. I Peter 1, 2. 

Micah 7. II Peter 1. 

Matt. 5, 6, 7, 13, 27. I John 3, 4. 

Mark 8, 9, 14. Jude. 

Luke 2, 4, 9, 15, 18, 24. Rev. 20, 21, 22. 
John 1, 3, 4, 6, 10, 11, 12, 14, 
15, 16, 17, 20. 

The thirty out of the one hundred were as follows: 

Exod. 12; Lev. 16; Josh. 6; Judges 7; Psalms 23, 51; 
Isa. 53, 55; Dan. 9; Matt. 6, 13; Mark 9; Luke 15; John 
3, 14, 17; Acts 2, 9; Rom. 8, 10; I Cor. 13, 15; Ephes. 3; 
Phil. 3, 4; Heb. 11; I Peter 1, 2; I John 3; Rev. 22. 

Of these, if compelled to choose ten, we should take, 
probably — although as the number diminishes the choice be- 
comes more difficult: Psalm 23; Isa. 53; Matt. 6; Luke 15; 
John 14; Rom. 8; I Cor. 13; Ephes. 3; Phil. 4; Rev. 22. 

Such a process of reduction in the available scriptural 
record suffices to show within how short a space all necessary 
gospel truth may be condensed. Take these last ten chapters 
as an example. Here we have: 

1. God's love seeking the lost — Luke 15. 

2. The atoning sacrifice — Isa. 53. 

3. The Lord our shepherd — Psalm 23. 

4. The summary of holy living — Matt. 6. 

5. The comfort for all trouble — John 14. 

6. The security of the believer — Rom. 8. 

7. The love and power of God in him — Ephes. 3. 

8. The perfection of his peace in Christ — Phil. 4. 

9. The beauty and power of love — I Cor. 13. 
10. The final consummation — Rev. 22. 

Prof. White intends to prepare a series of Bible studies 
on these favorite chapters. 



230 FAVORITE TEXTS 

CHAPTERS OF PURE GOLD. 
C. H. YATMAN, the evangelist, found that his plan of 
giving names to particular chapters, indicating their contents, 
was so popular that he prepared the following list, calling 
them Chapters of Pure Gold: 

Abiding Chapter John 15 

Atonement Chapter Heb. 9 

Admonition Chapter Heb. 13 

Blessing Chapter Deut. 28 

Beautiful Chapter Matt. 5 

Bottomless Chapter Eph. 3 

Business Men's Chapter Prov. 8 

Courage Chapter Josh. 1 

Character Chapter Job 29 

Chastening Chapter Heb. 12 

Charity Chapter I Cor. 13 

Convert's Chapter Isa. 12 

Consecration Chapter Rom. 12 

Come Chapter Isa. 55 

Chapter of Contrasts Luke 17 

Conqueror's Chapter Luke 4 

Duty Chapter Ezek. 33 

Faith Chapter Heb. 11 

Feast Chapter Deut. 16 

Fast Chapter Isa. 58 

Fisherman's Chapter Luke 5 

Fool's Chapter Prov. 26 

Gift Chapter I Cor. 12 

Heaven Chapter Rev. 12 

Humility Chapter Luke 18 

Hypocrite Chapter Matt. 23 

Harlot's Chapter Prov. 7 

Intemperance Chapter Prov. 23 

John the Baptist Chapter Luke 3 

Knowledge Chapter Luke 11 

Lost and Found Chapter Luke 15 

Life Chapter Luke 7 

Minister's Chapter Ezek. 34 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 231 

Marriage Chapter Eph. 5 

Moralist's Chapter Psa. 14 

Marvelous Chapter Luke 9 

Millenium Chapter Rev. 20 

Nativity Chapter Luke 2 

Passover Chapter Exodus 12 

Peace and Promise Chapter John 14 

Prodigal's Chapter Psa. 51 

Pentecost Chapter Acts 2 

Preacher's Chapter Isa. 61 

Prayer Chapter John 17 

Poor Man's Chapter Luke 14 

Professor's Chapter Luke 12 

Question Chapter Luke 20 

Rest Chapter Heb. 4 

Rock Chapter Deut. 32 

Redemption Chapter Luke 23 

Rich Man's Chapter Luke 16 

Repentance Chapter Luke 13 

Safety Chapter Psa. 91 

Song Chapter Luke »1 

Sufferer's Chapter.... Isa. 53 

Shepherd's Chapter John 10 

Sower's Chapter Luke 8 

Service Chapter Luke 10 

Sad Chapter Luke 22 

Soldier's Chapter Eph. 6 

Sinner's Chapter Luke 19 

Scorner's Chapter Prov. 1 

Traveler's Chapter Psa. 121 

Teacher's Chapter Luke 6 

Tonic Chapter Psa. 27 

Victorious Chapter Luke 24 

Vow Chapter Num. 30 

Victory Chapter Rom. 8 

Wisdom Chapter Prov. 3 

Watcher's Chapter Luke 21 

Work Chapter James 2 

Wife's Chapter Prov. 31 



232 FAVORITE TEXTS 

PRESCRIPTIONS. 

If anxious and depressed read Psa. 23. 

If there is a chilly sensation about the heart, Rev. 3. 

If you do not know where to look for the next rent 
money, Psa. 27. 

If lonesome and unprotected, Psa. 97. 

If losing confidence in men, I Cor. 3. 

If pelted with hard words, John 16 and Psa. 2. 

If discouraged about your work, Psa. 12 and Gal. 6: 7-9. 

If all out of sorts, Heb. 12. 

These recipes have been tested, and can be relied on al- 
ways to turn out well. 

Andrew Geike says: "Does your spirit faint? The divine 
promises are a dropping honeycomb, better than Jona- 
than's. Dip your pilgrim staff into their richness, and put 
your hand to your mouth, like him, and your faintness will 
pass away. Are you thirsty? They are the flowing stream 
of the water of life, of which you may drink by the way, and 
lift up your head. Are you overcome by the sultry burden 
of the day? They are as the cool shadow of a great rock in 
a weary land. Have your steps well nigh slipped? They are 
a staff in your hand, on top of which, betimes, like Jacob, 
you may lean and worship God. Are you sad? There are 
no such songs to beguile the road and to bear you on with 
gladness of heart. Put but a promise under your head by 
night, and were your pillow a stone like that at Bethel, you 
shall have Jacob's vision, and the thirstiest wilderness will 
become an Elim, with palm trees and wells of water." (II 
Peter 1:4.) 



Otf FAMOUS PEOPLE. 233 



CHAPTER XXI. 

FAMOUS BIBLES AND STORIES OF 
BIBLES. 

It is said that there is in the British Museum 19,000 sep- 
arate editions in all languages of the New Testament or of 
commentaries on it. And it is well that there are so many 
editions and that the editions are so large, the combined 
product of several Bible houses being some 8,000 copies each 
day. Mr. Pilkington, the famous missionary, said in the 
Liverpool conference in 1896: 

"The power to read the Bible is the key to the kingdom 
of God. With the exception of one case I have never known 
any one to profess Christ who could not read." 

There is such a general idea that war is so contrary to 
the teachings of the Bible that it may surprise some to learn 
of the general equipment of an army with Bibles. Oliver 
Cromwell's soldiers were supplied with pocket Bibles, and 
that same pocket Bible first issued two hundred and fifty 
years ago was reprinted and circulated in large numbers 
among soldiers of the American Civil war, 1861-1865. When 
the Spanish-American war was declared the American Bible 
Society sent nearly 75,000 Bibles and Testaments to the 
American soldiers, and for the South African war the Oxford 
press put out a special edition of a Soldier's Pocket Bible 
bound in Khaki, the same material as the uniforms were made 
from. The Bible Society Record added that when the British 
soldiers reached South Africa they found their foes equally 
well supplied with Dutch Bibles. 

The total issues of Bibles for 1899 by the American Bible 
Society alone was 1,406,800 copies, which is below the aver- 
age for the last few years. During the eighty-four years 
since the society was organized it has sold 67,369,306 Bibles. 
The biggest year was 1895, when the total reached 1,750,483, 
and the next largest issue was 1,581,128 in 1894. In 1899 the 



234 FAVORITE TEXTS 

American Bible Society issued the Bible in fifty-eight differ- 
ent languages. The sales in the United States amounted to 
720,050 copies, of which 194,706 were complete Bibles, 339,700 
the New Testament alone, 184,706 were portions of the Bible 
(mostly the Gospels and the. Book of Psalms), and 1,351 
copies were raised letters for the use of the blind. 

The number of Bibles distributed in foreign lands by tne 
American Bible Society was 686,751, of which 21,133 were 
complete Bibles, 661,926 New Testaments and 603,692 por- 
tions. The greater portion, a total of 458,662, were issued 
in the Chinese language, and it is a remarkable fact that of 
this number 447,858 were sold for money. The remainder, 
about 11,000 copies, were given away; 296,919 were sold by 
peddlers, 129,496 were sold at stores and shops in China, 
and 21,443 were sold at the depositories of the American 
Bible Society. One Chinese colporteur sold 15,120 copies. 
The Bible was printed last year in eight Chinese dialects, the 
largest number, 453,887 copies, in what is called the mandarin 
dialect, that is, pure Chinese. 

The next largest number of Bibles, 91,305, were printed 
in the Spanish language for circulation in Cuba, Porto Rico, 
and the Philippine islands, where the Bible was prohibited 
before the American occupation; 51,200 copies were sold in 
Korea, 49,000 in Turkey, 28,576 copies of the German edition 
were sold, 20,202 in the Siamese language, 9,500 in Japanese, 
18,062 in the Zulu language, and the next largest number 
were Italian, 9,284. The American Bible Society sold two 
copies of the Testament in the ancient Irish tongue. Two 
new editions were issued during the year, one of 5,000 copies 
in the Ruk language and 2,000 in the Benga tongue. 

CHARLEMAGNE'S BIBLE. 
In the British Museum is the manuscript Bible written 
by Alcium and his disciples and presented to Charlemagne 
on the occasion of his coronation A. D. 800. Seventy years 
ago it belonged to a gentleman in Basel, who offered it to 
the French government for 42,000 francs. The British Mu- 
seum finally secured it for $3,750. The headings of the chap- 
ters, as also the name of Jesus where it occurs, are written 
in gold. 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 235 

WASHINGTON'S MOTHER'S BIBLE. 
The family Bible of George Washington's mother was 
loaned in 1892 for exhibition at Mount Vernon. It was 
owned by Mrs. Lewis Washington, of Charleston, W. Va. It 
has a cover of home-spun cloth put on by its original owner. 
The book is well preserved, and all its pages are intact except 
a few of the first, which were torn our and placed in the 
corner-stone of the Mary Washington monument at Fred- 
ericksburg, Va. The first family record in the old Bible is 
the marriage of Augustine Washington and Mary Ball in 
1731. The next thing recorded is the birth of George Wash- 
ington, February 11, 1732 (O. S.) 

VICTORIA'S CORONATION BIBLE. 

When Queen Victoria was crowned in Westminster- 
Abbey, in 1837, three presents were made to her: First, the 
Sword of State; second, the Imperial Robe; and, lastly, the 
Bible, these words accompanying the gift: "Our gracious 
queen, we present you with this book, the most valuable 
thing the world affords. Here is wisdom; this is the royal 
law; these are the timely oracles of God. Blessed is he that 
readeth, and they that hear the words of this book; that 
keep and do the things contained in it, for these are the 
words of eternal life, able to make you wise and happy in 
this world, nay, wise, unto salvation, and so happy forever- 
more, through faith which is in Christ Jesus, to whom be 
glory forever, Amen." Words as true as they are beautiful, 
and by no one have they been put to a fuller test than by 
the royal lady to whom they were addressed. 

FIRST AMERICAN BIBLE. 
The first English Bible printed in America was pub- 
lished by Robert Aitkin in the city of Philadelphia in 1782, 
it being one of the rich fruits of American independence. It 
bears on its fly-leaf the following resolution passed by the 
first congress, September 12, 1782, upon the petition of the 
publisher and the certificate of its chaplains, Bishop William 
White and Reverend Doctor George Duffield, to whom it 
had been referred: 



236 FAVORITE TEXTS 

"Whereupon, Resolved, That the United States in con- 
gress assembled highly approve the pious and laudable un- 
dertaking of Mr. Aitkin as subservient to the interest of 
religion, as well as an instance of the progress of arts in this 
country, and being satisfied from the above report of his 
care and accuracy in the execution of the work, they recom- 
mend this edition of the Bible to the inhabitants of the 
United States, and hereby authorize him to publish this 
recommendation in the manner he shall think proper." 

GEN. GORDON'S POCKET BIBLE. 
Go into one of the picture galleries of Windsor Castle 
and you will see many precious caskets and objects highly 
prized. One day the British queen entered with a small book 
in her hand and asked the keeper of those treasures which 
was the most valuable of those caskets. A pure rock crystal 
casket, ornamented with gold and enamel, was brought. In 
this casket the queen placed Gen. Gordon's pocket Bible, 
annotated and marked with his own hand; and in that casket 
will remain the most precious relic of one of Britain's great- 
est heroes. 

A BAKED BIBLE. 

There was a Bible in Lucas county, Ohio, which at one 
time contained some very warm scriptural texts. It belongs 
to a Mr. Scheboldt, a native of Bohemia. It was formerly 
the property of his grandmother, who was a very devout 
protestant. During one of those unfortunate periods when 
religious persecutions were common in Austria a law was 
passed that every Bible in the hands of the people should be 
surrendered to be burned. Mrs. Scheboldt determined to 
save hers, and when the party came to search her home, she 
had just prepared a huge batch of dough for the oven, and, 
taking her precious Bible, she wrapped the yielding dough 
around it and quietly deposited it in the oven, where it was 
thoroughly baked but not injured, and has been handed 
down from generation to generation as a memento of the 
times when people prized the Bible so highly that they risked 
their lives for it. 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 237 

THE TRAVELS OF A BIBLE. 
In the year 1888 there came into the possession of Mr. 
S. W. Cowles, of Hartford, Conn., a copy of the Breeches 
Bible, printed in 1588, and bound up with the Book of Com- 
mon Prayer, the Apocrypha, a Commentary, and Sternhold 
and Hopkins Psalm Book. He was for some time not aware 
of the true value of the volume; but, in the course of time, 
it was discovered that the "scribbling" on the margins and 
vacant places of the pages of the Prayer Book, Commentary, 
and Psalm Book were able to tell strange tales. From them it 
was learned that this Bible was owned by William White in 
1608 in Holland, and was brought over by him in the May- 
flower in 1620. That is was carried back to England and re- 
turned in 1622-3. That it was not carried back on the May- 
flower, as an entry on page 57 states that "ye ship Mayflower 
departed from us," after which no ship, except the Fortune in 
1621, sailed from this country to England previous to 1623, 
when the entries show that it was for a second time brought to 
this country. It must have been again taken to England, as 
according to the entries it was brought back to this country 
on the ship Lyon, 1632. After this there are no entries in- 
dicating its ownership until 1666, which date occurs in con- 
nection with the Randalls and Thomas Edridge. The next 
dates are in connection with the Burdetts and range from 
1696 to 1743, the latter date, probably representing the time 
when it was in their possession in London, England. From 
that time to 1813 there is no recorded date. And from the 
time that Thomas Corser of Bridgworth had it in 1823 its 
record is a blank until 1888. It is certainly an unique and 
most interesting book, being the only one, so far as we know, 
containing anything of similar nature. Not the least inter- 
esting are the pictures, to be found here and there, and so 
suggestive of the every day life and surroundings of the 
Pilgrims. — The Connecticut Magazine. 

THE THUMB BIBLE. 
Samuel Willoughby Duffield tells in his English Hymns 
that he has himself seen Thomas Ken's "Morning" and 
"Evening" hymns, in ten syllable verses, in the famous 



238 FAVORITE TEXTS 

Thumb Bible. This is a small copy of the Word of God pre- 
pared by Jeremy Taylor for the son of Princess Anne, who 
died in 1700. Its date is October 6, 1693, and it bears the 
imprimatur of "J Lancaster.'' It has been reprinted in fac- 
simile by Longmans, London, 1851. The prefixed motto 
speaks more for the editor's piety than for his grammar: 
"With care and pains, out of the Sacred Book, 
This little abstract I for thee have took." 

QUEEN ELIZABETH'S GIFT. 
Elizabeth, afterwards Queen of England, has left her 
testimony to the consolation of scripture in her copy of 
Coverdale's New Testament, where one may still read, in her 
own writing, these words: 

Among good thinges 
I prove and finde, the quiet 
life doth muche abounde, 
and sure to the contentid 
Mynde, there is no riches 
may be founde. 

Your lovinge 
Maistres 

Elizabeth. 

"The writing," says Dore, in his description of this little 
volume which the princess gave to her maid of honor, "is 
in Elizabeth's fine bold hand." 

CARDINAL MANNING'S TESTAMENT. 
A personal friend of Cardinal Manning has told us how, 
after long and eventful years of absence, duty brought him 
into the neighborhood of the lovely village in Sussex where 
he began his career as a minister in the church of England. 
As he stood in silence beside the grave of his wife,' who had 
died after a very few years of married life, it must have been 
difficult to recall the time when this great prince in the 
Roman Catholic Church had made for himself a happy home 
in the quiet English parish. His friend in describing the 
visit, adds: "I accompanied him into the church and showed 
him a New Testament with the inscription 'H. E. Manning, 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 239 

1845.' He laid his hand on the book, saying: Times change 
and men change, but this book never changes.' " 

CROWNS IN THE BIBLE. 

Oscar Bernadotte, the royal prince of Sweden and Nor- 
way, sometimes took a journey into the country and preached 
the gospel of Jesus Christ. One time he was in Jeutland, a 
state in the north of Sweden, and stopped at a house where 
lived a poor woman. The Bible was on the table, and the 
prince could see and hear that the woman loved this book 
very much. The prince put five crowns, Swedish money, in 
the Bible. The woman did not know that her visitor was 
the royal prince, and she said to him, "I wish Prince Berna- 
dotte would come to my house too. I like to see him. He 
is a wise and good man. But I don't think he will come 
to see me." 

The prince talked to her about the prince from heaven 
and said good-by and went away. Very soon after that the 
woman was reading in the Bible and found five crowns there, 
the gift from the royal prince. She understood from that 
that the man was Prince Bernadotte and she was very thank- 
ful and happy. 

A WELSH GIRL'S BIBLE. 

A Bible was sometime ago handed over to the British 
and Foreign Bible Society, with the formation of which it 
has so sacred a connection. An open Bible is engraved on 
the tombstone of the one who formerly owned the Bible, with 
the words, "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the 
word of our God shall stand forever." Then these words: 

" 'Mary, widow of Thomas Lewis, weaver, Bryncrwg, who 
died December 28th, 1864. Aged 82.' This tombstone was 
erected by contributions of the Calvinistic Methodists in the 
district, and other friends, in respect to her memory, who, as 
the Welsh girl Mary Jones, walked from Abergwyholwyn to 
Bala in the year 1802, when sixteen years of age, to procure 
a Bible from the Rev. Thomas Charles, B. A. A circumstance 
which led to the establishment of the British and Foreign 
Bible Society." 



240 FAVORITE TEXTS 

EMPRESS DOWAGER'S BIBLE. 

The poorest can now buy the New Testament in English 
for a nickel, and yet — strange contrast! — perhaps the most 
sumptuous copy of the New Testament in existence is that 
splendid edition de luxe, presented to the dowager empress 
of China on the occasion of her sixtieth birthday, the pre- 
sentation having been made in due form by the British and 
American ministers. The book is a royal quarto, volume, 
2x10x13 inches in size, and was manufactured by the Presby- 
terian Press and Canton silversmiths. It has silver covers, 
embossed with bamboo and bird designs, and is printed on 
the finest paper with the largest type, and with a border of 
gold encircling each page. It was incased in a solid silver 
casket, ornamented with symbolical designs, the whole weigh- 
ing 10J4 pounds, and upon the cover of the casket there is a 
gold plate which relates that the book is the gift of the 
Christian women in China, says Dr. John Fox in Leslie's 
Weekly. 

Not long after the presentation of this magnificent 
volume, the eunuchs were sent from the palace to the book 
store to ask for a common copy, so that the empress and her 
ladies might compare the two texts. 

BIBLES CAST ON THE WATERS. 
In 1854 a New Testament fell overboard from a British 
vessel in the harbor of Nagasaki. Floating off upon the water, 
it was picked up by the commander of the Japanese army 
who had been set to watch the British fleet. Curiosity having 
been excited, the officer at length learned that it was the 
sacred book of the Christians. He determined to know its 
contents. A translation was procured and read with glowing 
interest. Communication was established with a missionary 
and certain perplexing passages explained. When the restric- 
tions forbidding intercourse with foreigners were removed, 
this distinguished officer presented himself at the mission 
station in Nagasaki and publicly made confession of faith in 
Jesus Christ, and receiving the sacrament of baptism, be- 
came a member of the Christian church. Speaking of the 
effect produced by his study of the New Testament, he said: 
"J cannot tell you my feelings when, for the first time, I read 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 241 

the account of the character and work of Jesus Christ. I 
had never seen, nor heard, nor imagined such a person. I 
was filled with admiration, overwhelmed with emotion and 
taken captive by the record of his nature and life." — From a 
sermon by W. P. Odell, D. D. 

"I was saved at the bottom of the sea." So said one of 
the Sydney divers to a city missionary. In his house, in one 
of our suburbs, might be seen lately what would probably 
strike the visitor as a strange chimney ornament — the shells 
of an oyster holding fast a piece of printed paper. The pos- 
sessor of this ornament might well value it. He was diving 
among wrecks on our coast when he observed this oyster on 
a rock, with this piece of paper in its mouth, which he de- 
tached, and began to read through the goggles of his head- 
dress. It was a gospel tract, and coming to him thus 
strangely and unexpectedly, so impressed his heart that he 
said, "I can hold out against God's mercy in Christ no 
longer, since it pursues me thus." He tells us that he became, 
while on the ocean floor, a repentant, converted, and sin- 
forgiven man. 

On board a British ship there was but one Bible among 
seven hundred men; that was owned by a pious sailor, who 
did not forget to let his light shine before men. He read it 
over to others, and at length by this means a little praying 
circle was formed, numbering thirteen in all. Just before an 
engagement they all met, and commended themselves to God 
in prayer, expecting never again to meet in this world. Their 
ship was in the thickest of the storm, and all around their 
comrades fell, never to rise again. At one gun, where two 
of the number were stationed, three other soldiers were killed 
by one ball, but there they stood firm to their posts, clad in 
an armour invisible to mortal eyes, but more impregnable 
than steel. When the battle was over, those who were left 
had agreed to meet, if possible. What was their joy to find 
the whole thirteen assembled, not one of them even wounded. 
What a thanksgiving meeting that must have been. 

POWER TO SPEAK. 
F. B. Meyer, whose favorite text is given in place, told 
the following experience: 

"From an early age I had desired to become a minister 



242 FAVORITE TEXTS 

of Christ's gospel, but was perpetually haunted by the fear 
that I should not be able to speak. At sixteen, the secret 
was still locked in my breast, but a matter of very serious 
and incessant debate. I had been pleading with tears and 
cries that God would show me his will, and especially that 
he would give me some assurance as to my powers of speech. 
Again that room in Streatham, near London, to which we 
had removed, is before me, with its window toward the sun, 
and the leathern-covered chair at which I kneeled. Turning 
to my Bible, it fell open at Jeremiah 1: 7, which I had never 
seen before. With indescribable feelings I read it again and 
again, and even now never come on it without a thrill of 
emotion. It was the answer to all my perplexing question- 
ings. Yes, I was the child; I was to go to those to whom 
he sent me, and speak what he bade me; and he would be 
with me, and touch my lips. * * *" 

POWER TO MOVE MEN. 

It is told of David Livingstone that on one occasion his 
way was barred by a gathering of natives — a way that he 
must traverse. He went to his tent, opened his Testament at 
the words "I will never fail nor forsake," and closed it with 
the remark, "I can trust the honor of my heavenly Father to 
carry me through, as the honor of a perfect gentleman;" 
and next morning the opposition had vanished, and the way 
was clear! 

BREAD OF LIFE. 

In June, 1899, a monument to the memory of Frederick 
Douglass was unveiled in the city of Rochester, N. Y. On 
the west side of that monument is carved the following, taken 
from a speech by Douglass on West India Emancipation, 
delivered at Canandaigua, N. Y., August 4, 1857: 

"Men do not live by bread alone; so with nations, they 
are not saved by art, but by honesty; not by gilded splendors 
of wealth, but by the hidden treasure of manly virtue; not by 
the multitudinous gratifications of the flesh, but by the celes- 
tial guidance of the Spirit." (Matthew 4: 4.) 

BIBLE TRANSLATORS. 

The sufferings endured by Mr. and Mrs. Judson for the 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 243 

sake of the gospel were unusual, being imprisoned as spies 
at the capital of Burma for nearly two years. On their re- 
lease Judson was forcibly detained in the Burman camp. On 
his return he found Mrs. Judson almost dead and their new- 
born child in the hands of a squalid nurse. Yet she recovered 
and they returned to Rangoon. But returning from a journey 
not long after he found his faithful helper dead and buried. 
Still directing inquirers to the truth, and superintending the 
printing of the New Testament, he gave himself especially 
to the completion of the Old. Seven years more of labor, 
and on the thirty-first of January, 1834, he wrote that mem- 
orable "Thanks be to God, I can now say I have attained. 
I have knelt down with the last leaf in my hand, and imploring 
his forgiveness for all the sins which have polluted my labors 
in this department, and his aid in future efforts to remove 
errors and imperfections which may necessarily cleave to the 
work, I have commended it to his mercy and grace, I have 
dedicated it to his glory." (II Corinthians 9:10.) 

During his course in the Missionary Training School at 
Gosport, Robert Morrison, the eminent missionary, en- 
deavored to learn something of the spoken Chinese language 
from a Cantonese named Yong Sam-Tak, then in London; 
and of the written language by copying a manuscript Latin 
and Chinese dictionary, and a version of the New Testament 
as far as Hebrews. Both these manuscripts proved of great 
assistance in his future labors. If we could ever learn who 
had made this translation his name and labors would de- 
servedly be held in esteem; but we can recognize a providence 
in placing the manuscript where it came into good use, and 
thereby honoring the work of the unknown scholar, who was 
probably a Roman Catholic. As an evidence of the capacity 
of Morrison's memory for the Chinese language it is said 
that at the age of thirteen he repeated from memory the one 
hundred and nineteenth Psalm without an error. 

John of Monte Corvino, one of the earliest of mission- 
aries, 1250-1332, after a hard journey, at last reached China, 
and the emperor's residence at Kambula. In two letters, 
"V written home from there to the brethren of his order, he por- 



244 FAVORITE TEXTS 

trayed his experiences and trials. He dwelt eleven years ut- 
terly alone surrounded by pagans, by the rough Mongols and 
their friendly ruler, and by unfriendly Nestorians. He was 
accused by the latter as a spy and impostor, not there as 
envoy from the pope but an assasin who had murdered the 
former, and appropriated the presents which he was bringing 
for the khan. He endured such persecutions five years, some- 
times in prison, often apparently near his death by the hands 
of the executioner. At last the plot against him was con- 
fessed, and his slanderers sent into banishment. Amid these 
vexations he mastered the language of the people, translating 
into it the Psalms and the New Testament. 

BIBLE AMONG THE HEATHEN. 

Among many miraculous occurrences in connection with 
the work of Robert Moffatt in Africa was the testimony of 
a cruel chief, who was bitter against the missionaries. The 
chief's dog, a vicious animal, had gotten hold of a copy of 
Psalms, bound in soft sheep skin, which was to his taste, and 
he chewed and swallowed the book. The chief was enraged 
and said the dog was worthless, since he would no more bite 
or tear, now that he had swallowed a Christian book. 

Rev. John Batchelor, missionary among the Ainu, a tribe 
ol Japanese aborigines similar to the American Indian, told 
the following in the Christian Herald: 

"The Ainu women are very fond of charms, and gener- 
ally have some of them hidden away in their homes or store- 
houses. Of course they do not keep these things after they 
become Christians. I hear of some poor women who keep 
pieces of snake skin ' as charms, some who hide away birds' 
nests, and others the skins and bones of birds. 

"One of the lady missionaries casually came across a poor 
woman the other day close to Piratori, whose little baby had 
just died, and, curious and sad as it may appear, she had got 
hold of a leaf of an Ainu New Testament and had tied it to 
the neck of the dead baby as a sort of charm, passport or 
ticket to heaven." 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 245 



CHAPTER XXII. 

GREAT MEN AND THE BIBLE. 

There has not recently been, so far as could be learned, a 
collection made of opinions of prominent men on the Bible. 
While many opinions are given incidental to mentioning of 
a favorite text, there have been gathered a number that 
have not been collected before, to which have been added the 
more important expressions of men of all times and ages, 
from sources so various that, with the exception of Pattison's 
History of the English Bible, it was thought unnecessary to 
mention them. 

Matthew Arnold, though not an orthodox believer in 
Christianity, was a great admirer of the Bible, and was the 
means of converting Charles Reade, the novelist, to Chris- 
tianity. On one occasion he urged Mr. Reade to read the 
Bible through in an unprejudiced and candid spirit. The nov- 
elist did so, and was thereby led to accept the gospel. (See 
favorite text of Charles Reade.) 

"The Bible is burglar proof against all unsanctified learn- 
ing. It repeatedly suffers violence at the hands of scholars 
and the violent seek to take it by force. But the Holy Spirit 
holds the key to it. He only knows the combination by 
which all its hid treasures can be unlocked. (John 16: 13.) — 
A. J. Gordon. 

"More and more is there growing up a disposition among 
parents to permit all matters of religious observance to be 
with their offspring mere matters of choice or preference. 
Your child must learn French or German and drawing; but 
he shall learn his catechism and his Bible lesson and a rever- 
ent observance of God's holy day if he chooses, and not other- 
wise. A more dismal and irrational folly it is not easy to 
conceive of. I do not say that there may not have been folly 
in another and in an opposite direction. But surely we can 
correct the excess without straightway flying to an opposite 
and worse one. And so I plead with you, who are parents, 



246 FAVORITE TEXTS 

to train your children to ways of reverent familiarity with 
God's word, God's house and God's day."— Bishop H. C. 
Potter. 

Prof. Blackie, speaking on true patriotism, once said: 
"I'm a very old man, and can say it without conceit. I know 
nine languages, and something of a good many more; but 
if I were to be shut up in a dungeon or on a desert island, 
I'd ask only for the Bible and the songs of Scotland, and be 
happy." (Psalms 137: 1,6.) 

"Twice does a minister learn beyond all question that 
the Bible contains the word of the living God — once when 
he preaches the forgiveness of sins to the penitent; once 
when he sees a soul in the great straits of life lifted, com- 
forted, and filled with peace and joy." — Dr. John Watson. 

"Thousands and tens of thousands have gone through the 
evidence which attests the resurrection of Christ, piece by 
piece, as carefully as ever a judge summed up the most im- 
portant case. I have done it myself many times over, not to 
persuade others, but to satisfy myself. I have been used for 
many years to study the history of other times, and to ex- 
amine and weigh the evidence of those who have written 
about them, and I know of no fact in the history of mankind 
which is proved by better and fitter evidence of every kind." 
— Dr. Arnold. 

"There is the Bible — potent in the past and potent now. 
There in its records lies the broad line of revelation in law 
and Psalm and prophecy, growing more and more luminous 
until the day dawns in Jesus Christ. It is all clear and con- 
sistent, and history has crystalized around it. The energies 
that have shaped the advancing centuries are here brought 
to view. It can never be outgrown, and it can never be dis- 
credited. There is an actual history behind it. There is a 
deathless life within it. And these are driving it with irre- 
sistible momentum into the present and the coming years." — 
Dr. A. J. F. Behrends. 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE, 247 

Robert Burns says in The Cotter's Saturday Night: 

"The cheerfu' supper done wi' serious face, 
They round the ingle, from a circle wide; 
The sire turns o'er wi' patriarchal grace, 
The big ha' — Bible ance his father's pride: 
His bonnet rev'rently is laid aside, 
His lyart haffets wearing thin an' bare; 
Those strains that once did sweet in Zion glide, 
He wales a portion with judicious care, 
And let us worship God! he says, with solemn air." 

"Here, then, I am, far from the busy haunts of men. I 
sit down alone; only God is here. In His presence, I open, 
I read His book for this end — to find the way to heaven. Is 
there any doubt concerning the meaning of what I read? 
Does anything appear dark or intricate? 

"I lift my heart to the Father of Lights; 'Lord, is it not 
in thy word, "If any man lack wisdom let him ask it of God?" 
Thou givest liberally, and upbraidest not. Thou hast said if 
any man be willing to do thy will, he shall know. I am will- 
ing to do; let me know thy will.' 

"I then search after and consider parallel passages of 
scripture, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. I medi- 
tate thereon with all the attention and earnestness of which 
my mind is capable. 

"If any doubt still remains, I consult those who are ex- 
perienced in the things of God, and then the writings where- 
by, being dead, they yet speak. And what I thus learn that 
I teach." — John Wesley. 

The following is from an address given at a Y. M. C. A. 
conference: 

"George Miiller of Bristol, who has recently died, 
strongly commended the method of continuous reading, and 
he planned to read the Bible through four times in each year. 
There are 773 pages in my Bible. In reading two pages each 
day and an extra one on Sunday, you can cover it in a year. 
The former method is preferable. I would plead for this old- 
fashioned method of continuous reading, so as to become 



248 FAVORITE TEXTS 

familiar with the subject matter of the whole book. As old 
Izaak Walton so quaintly puts it: 

'Every hour 
I read you kills a sin, 
Or lets a virtue in 
To fight against it.' 

"In traveling on the Grand Trunk I had occasion to go 
into the baggage-car, and seeing a Bible on the shelf I asked 
the baggage-man what he did with that book. His reply 
was that, having a long run — Toronto to Montreal — and con- 
siderable spare time, he occupied it reading the Bible, and 
had then almost completed his third reading in that year." 

George Mtiller, the apostle of prayer, and head and 
founder during his life of a large orphanage and other in- 
stitutions: 

"I can tell how great has been the blessing from con- 
secutive diligent daily study. I look upon it as a lost day 
when I have not had a good time over the word of God. 
Friends often say to me, 'Oh, I have too much to do, so 
many people to see, I cannot find time for scripture study/ 
There are not many who have had more to do than I have 
had. For more than half a century I have never known a 
day when I had not more business than I could get through. 
For forty years I have had annually about thirty thousand 
letters, and most of them have passed through my own hand. 
I have nine assistants always at work, corresponding in Ger- 
man, French, English, Italian, Russian and other languages. 
As pastor of a church with twelve hundred believers, great 
has been my care; and, besides these, the charge of five im- 
mense orphanages, a vast work; and also my publishing 
depot, the printing and circulating of millions of tracts and 
books; but I have always made it a rule never to begin work 
till I have had a good season with God and then I throw 
myself with all my heart into this work for the day with only 
a few minutes interval for prayer." 

In replying to a delegation of colored people from Bal- 
timore who had just presented to him a large, beautiful Bi- 
ble, President Lincoln said: "In regard to the great Book, I 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 249 

have only this to say, that it is the best gift which God has 
given to man. All the good from the Saviour of the world is 
communicated through this Book." 

At his second inauguration Chief Justice Chase adminis- 
tered the oath of office to him, Mr. Lincoln kissing the Bible 
which was open before him, his lips touching the twenty- 
seventh and twenty-eighth verses of the fifth chapter of 
Isaiah. 

John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester, witty and profli- 
gate courtier and author, and a great favorite with Charles 
II., but a brave soldier, and had many attractive qualities, 
1647-1680, said when dying: "The only objection against the 
Bible is a bad life." 

Francis Bacon, philosopher and scientist; his last 
words were: "Thy creatures, O Lord, have been my books, 
but thy Holy Scriptures much more. I have sought thee in 
the fields and gardens, but I have found Thee, O God, in thy 
Sanctuary — thy temple." 

Thomas A. Kempis, shut in the monastery of St. 
Agnes, in the fifteenth century, began his immortal treatise 
"On the Imitation of Christ" with the sentence, "He that 
keepeth my words shall not walk in darkness, saith the Lord." 
And according to his faith was it unto him. In the supersti- 
tious darkness of that day, leading an obscure life, celebrated 
for his skill and diligence in copying pious books, A. Kempis 
did not walk in darkness. 

Athenagoras, a famous Athenian philosopher in the 
second century, not only doubted the truth of the Christian 
religion, but was determined to write against it. However, 
upon an intimate inquiry into the facts on which it was sup- 
ported, in the course of his collecting materials for his in- 
tended publication, he was convinced by the blaze of its evi- 
dence, and turned his designed invective into an elaborate 
apology, which is still in existence. 

William Wilberforce closed his life with this truth: 
"I never knew happiness till I found Christ as a Saviour. 
Read the Bible; Read the Bible." 



250 FAVORITE TEXTS 

When Hugh Miller, the Scottish stonemason, destined to 
be the literary leader of the Disruption, came to look back 
over his life, he remembered that what wakened his mind and 
made him conscious of thought, was the history of Joseph. 

John Brown, of Harpers Ferry, wrote these true 
words in his prison Bible: "There is no commentary in the 
world so good in order to a right understanding of this 
blessed book, as an honest, childlike and teachable spirit. ,, 

How pathetic the words which poor Hartley Coleridge 
wrote in his Bible, as from his twenty-fifth birthday he re- 
viewed a wasted life: 

When I received this volume small 
My years were barely seventeen; 
When it was hoped I should be all, 

Which once, alas, I might have been. 

And now my years are twenty-five, 
And every mother hopes her lamb, 

And every happy child alive, 
May never be what now I am. 

Another boy of high promise, a young Scottish poet, who 
died on the threshold of life, with the prophecy of his boyhood 
all unfulfilled, and his Bible on his pillow, with these last lines 
penned by his feeble hand: 

'Tis very vain for me to boast 
How small a price my Bible cost; 
The day of judgment will make clear 
'Twas very cheap — or very dear. 

— Pattison, History of the English Bible. 

In her rich, deep voice, George Eliot, as her life drew to 
its close, would read daily from her Bible "a very precious 
and sacred book to her, not only from early associations, but 
also from the profound conviction of its importance in the 
development of the religious life of man." 

In a Conference address, given a few years before his 
death, the great London preacher, Spurgeon, said: "After 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 251 

preaching the gospel for forty years, and after printing the 
sermons I have preached more than six and thirty years, 
reaching now to the number of 2,200, in weekly succession, I 
am fairly entitled to speak about the fullness and the richness 
of the Bible as a preacher's book. Brethren, it is inexhausti- 
ble. No question about freshness will arise if we keep close 
to the text of the sacred volume. There can be no difficulty 
about finding themes totally distinct from those we have han- 
dled before; the variety is as infinite as the fullness. A long 
life will only suffice to skirt the shores of this great continent 
of light. In the forty years of my ministry I have only 
touched the hem of the garment of divine truth; but what vir- 
tue has flowed out' of it! The Word is like its author — infinite, 
immeasurable, without end. If you were ordained to be a 
preacher through eternity, you would have before you a 
theme equal to everlasting demands." 

Patrick Henry, the statesman and orator, a little 
before his death, remarked to a friend, who found him read- 
ing his Bible: "Here is a book worth more than all the other 
books which ever were printed; yet it is my misfortune never 
to have, till lately, found time to read it with proper attention 
and feeling." 

Knowledge of the Bible will refine, enlarge and elevate 
the vocabulary of any one, and the girl who studies her Bible 
daily and reads Shakespeare, Scott, Macaulay and Ruskin will 
be a better talker than she who limits her reading to the 
daily newspaper or the latest agreeable book. — Ladies' Home 
Journal. 

"Even such is time that takes in trust, 
Our youth, our joys, our all we have, 
And pays us but with earth and dust, 
Who in the dark and silent grave, 
When we have wandered all our ways, 
Shuts up the story of our days. 
But from this earth, this grave, this dust, 
My God shall raise me up, I trust." 

— Sir Walter Raleigh. 



252 FAVORITE TEXTS 

Written the night before his death. Found in his Bible in 
the Gate house at Westminster. 

"What can we imagine more proper for the ornaments 
of wit and learning in the story of Deucalion than in that of 
Noah? Why will not the actions of Samson afford as plenti- 
ful matter as the labors of Hercules? 

"Why is not Jeptha's daughter as good a woman as 
Iphigenia? And the friendship of David and Jonathan more 
worthy celebration than that of Theseus and Pirithous? Does 
not the passage of Moses and the Israelites into the Holy land 
yield incomparably more poetic variety than the voyages of 
Ulysses or Aeneas? 

"What do I instance in these few particulars? 

"All the books of the Bible are either already most admir- 
able and exalted pieces of poetry or are the best materials in 
the world for it." — A. Cowley. 

"This Book of Stars lights to eternal bliss." — George 
Herbert. 

"Thus I cloister my native villainy with old odd ends, 
stolen forth of Holy Writ." — Shakespeare. 

"It speaks no less than God in every line." — J. Dryden. 

In an article on Great Men and the Bible, Carl Ackerman 
mentions the following: 

In the realm of music whose names have lived and stand 
higher on the pinnacle of fame than those of Bach, Beethoven, 
Handel, Hayden, Mozart, Mendelssohn and others? Yet all 
had felt the power of the Bible and were earnest Christians. 
Bach sang of the birth and passion of Christ. Handel could 
find no more glorious masterpiece than the Messiah. Men- 
delssohn "caught strains of music from out the pearly gates 
and chained them in his St. Paul and Elijah." While Hayden 
sang of the Creation, and himself says: "Never was I so pious 
as when composing the Creation. I knelt down every day 
and prayed God to strengthen me for the work." 

Leonarda da Vinci, Michael Angelo and Raphael are uni- 
versally acknowledged the world's greatest artists, yet the 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 253 

first named immortalized the name of his painting of The 
Last Supper. Michael Angelo left the world The Last Judg- 
ment. And Raphael expressed his highest ideal in The Trans- 
figuration. 

Sir Walter Scott holds first place among the novelists. He 
is a veritable giant in literature. His testimony for the Bible 
is clear: 

"Within this awful volume lies 
The mystery of mysteries; 
And better had they never been born 
Who read to doubt or read to scorn." 

England's great statesmen — Burke, Pitt and Gladstone — 
what say they? Burke wrote a work in defense of Christi- 
anity, and as for himself says: "I have read the Bible morn- 
ing, noon and night, and have ever since been the happier and 
better man for such reading." 

Pitt, still more illustrious, stood for twenty years at the 
head of English affairs, and guided the ship of state through 
troublous times, and is to this day revered by a grateful peo- 
ple. Yet during his whole life he was a faithful worshipper in 
the Christian church. Next hear John Adams: "The Chris- 
tian religion is above all religions that ever prevailed or ex- 
isted in ancient or modern times, the religion of wisdom, 
virtue, equity and humanity, let the blackguard Paine say what 
he will; it is resignation to God, it is goodness itself to men. 
* * * I have examined all, as well as my narrow sphere, my 
straitened means, and my busy life would allow me, and the 
result is that the Bible is the best book in the world. It con- 
tains more of my philosophy than all the libraries I have 
seen." 

John Quincy Adams read several chapters daily, and says: 
"So great is my veneration for the Bible that the earlier my 
children begin to read it the more confident will be my hopes 
that they will prove useful citizens to their country, and re- 
spectable members to society." 

Thomas Jefferson says of the Bible: "I have always said, 
and always will say, that the studious perusal of the sacred 



254 FAVORITE TEXTS 

volume will make better citizens, better fathers and better 
husbands." 

Wm. H. Seward says: "The whole hope of human prog- 
ress is suspended on the ever-growing influence of the Bible." 

Charles Sumner called Christianity the "true religion" and 
"our faith," and in all his addresses recognizes God and Chris- 
tianity. 



MISCELLANEOUS OPINIONS OF THE BIBLE. 

Prof. O. M. Mitchell, LL. D., astronomer— "The most 
wonderful volume in existence is, beyond doubt, the Bible." 

Dr. Lyman Beecher, D. D. — "Our republic in its consti- 
tution and laws is of heavenly origin. It was not borrowed 
from Greece or Rome, but from the Bible. Where we bor- 
rowed a ray from Greece or Rome, stars and suns were bor- 
rowed from another source — the Bible." 

Pere Hyacinthe — "That which produces the power and 
superiority of Protestant people is, that they possess and 
read the Bible at their own firesides. I have been twice to 
England, and have learned that the Bible is the strength of 
that nation." 

Charles H. Spurgeon — "The gospel is perfect in all its 
parts and perfect as a whole; it is a crime to add to it, trea- 
son to alter it, and felony to take from it." 

Prof. Swing — "A Bible well worn in that part which con- 
tains the Sermon on the Mount is the book which our age 
most needs." 

Dr. Samuel Johnson, the great literary writer, in speak- 
ing to a young friend once said: "Young man, attend to the 
voice of one who has possessed a certain degree of fame in the 
world, and who will shortly appear before his maker; read the 
Bible every day of your life." 

Lady Jane Grey, on the night before she" was beheaded, 
sent a Bible to her sister Catherine with the following en- 
comium written at the end of it: "I have sent you, dear sis- 
ter Catherine, a book, which, although it be not outwardly 



OF FAMOUS PEOPLE. 255 

trimmed with gold, yet inwardly is of more worth than pre- 
cious stones." 

Hon. Robert Boyle, natural philosopher — "The Bible is 
indeed among books what the diamond is among stones, the 
most precious and sparkling; the most apt to scatter light, and 
yet the solidest and the most proper to make impressions." 

John Milton — "There are no songs comparable to the 
songs of Zion, no orations equal to those of the prophets, and 
no politics like those which the scriptures teach." 

John Quincy Adams — "I myself for many years made it 
a practice to read through the Bible once every year. My 
custom is to read four or five chapters every morning imme- 
diately after rising from bed. It employs about an hour of my 
time and seems to me the most suitable manner of beginning 
the day." 

Andrew Jackson, pointing to the family Bible that lay 
on the stand near him, remarked to a friend: "That book, sir, 
is the rock on which our republic rests." 

Benjamin Franklin said to a young man who had doubts 
in regard to the truth of the scriptures: "Young man, my 
advice to you is that you cultivate an acquaintance with, and a 
firm belief in, the Holy Scriptures. This is your certain in- 
terest." 

William H. Seward — "I do not believe human society, in- 
cluding not merely a few persons in any state, but whole 
masses of men, ever has attained or ever can attain a high 
state of intelligence, virtue, security, liberty, or happiness 
without the Holy Scriptures." 

Daniel Webster — "I have read the Bible through many 
times; I now make a practice of going through it once a year. 
It is a book of all others for lawyers as well as divines; and I 
pity the man who cannot find in it a rich supply of thought 
and rule for conduct." 

Edmund Burke, the great statesman and philosopher — 
"I have read the Bible morning, noon and night, and have 
ever since been the happier and better man for such reading." 

Kirke White, English poet (1785-1806) — "I will never pass 
a day without reading'some portion of the scriptures." 

Sir John Herschell, astronomical discoverer — "All human 



256 FAVORITE TEXTS 

discoveries seem to be made only for the purpose of confirm- 
ing more and more strongly the truths contained in the Holy 
Scriptures." 

Goethe — "It is a belief in the Bible, the fruits of deep 
meditation, which has served me as the guide of my moral and 
literary life. I have found it a capital safely invested, and 
richly productive of interest." 

Lord Bacon — "There never was found, in any age of the 
world, either religion or law, that did so highly exalt the 
public good as the Bible." 

Thomas Paine wrote regarding the Book of Job: "As 
a composition it is sublime, beautiful and scientific; full of 
sentiment, and abounding in grand metaphorical description." 

John Keble, English poet (1792-1866) : 

"There is a book, who runs may read, 
Which heavenly truth imparts; 

And all the lore its scholars need, 
Pure eyes and Christian hearts." 

Nathaniel Hawthorne — "The Christian faith is a grand 
cathedral with divinely pictured windows. Standing without 
you see no glory, nor can possibly imagine any; standing 
within every ray of light reveals a harmony of unspeakable 
splendors." 

Rousseau — "I will confess to you that the majesty of the 
scriptures strikes me with admiration as the purity of the gos- 
pel has its influence on my heart. Peruse the work of our phil- 
osophers with all their pomp of diction; how mean, how 
contemptible are they compared with the scriptures." 

John Huss — "I never preached any doctrine of an evil 
tendency and what I taught with my lips I now seal with my 
blood." 

William Carey — "I am, indeed, poor and will also be so 
until the Bible is published in Bengali and Hindostani and 
the people want no further instructions." 

Isaac Newton — "We account the scriptures of God to be 
the most sublime philosophy. I find more sure marks of au- 
thenticity in the Bible than in any profane history, what- 
ever." 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 257 

Samuel T. Coleridge — "I know the Bible is inspired be- 
cause it finds me at greater depths of my being than any 
other book. ,, 

ADDENDUM. 
Lord Salisbury, premier of England, and the Queen of the 
Netherlands, acknowledged kindly the inquiry made (see 
preface), but did not respond with a text. Probably not for 
the reason given in this reply: "The Archbishop of Canter- 
bury has no favorite text or chapter.' , John Sherman, the 
statesman, and Lyman Abbott, the theologian, responded with 
autographs but no text. Richard Harding Davis was some- 
what furious over what he thought was an attempt to secure 
his autograph under false pretenses. 

A. T. Mahan, the eminent naval authority, said in reply: 
"I believe that the study of the Bible as a whole is better, and 
that each man should learn for himself by his own experience 
what is suited to his needs." 

A similar reply was received from Edward Gilman, 
American Bible Society: "I think it is a capital idea to en- 
courage young people to commit to memory whole chapters 
of the scriptures. They cannot know by heart too much of 
the Bible. The more the better. But as for having a 'favor- 
ite' I should never think of it. All scriptures is given by in- 
spiration of God and is profitable, and the variety is too great 
to allow one to concentrate his affection on a single passage. 

Why should one limit his thought and liking to any one 
passage, any more than to some one fruit or flower or book, 
when the number is unbounded and no necessity compels him 
to choose?" 

These two opinions are given, for there is wisdom in the 
warning against taking texts entirely from their surroundings, 
as for instance on account of its brevity, boys with lazy minds 
used to meet the requirement of committing a text, with 
"Jesus wept," and the boy who could locate it for his fellows 
so that they would be certain it was in the Bible, was at a 
premium. If I am not mistaken, this knowledge used to be 
considered as having an intrinsic value, negotiable for mar^ 
bles and tops. 



258 FAVORITE TEXTS 

Fannie Casseday Duncan, secretary of the Women's and 
Young Women's Christian Association, said that the Bible 
should be looked upon as a whole, perfect only in its larger 
reading. 

Chief Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States 
M. W. Fuller and D. J. Brewer approved the effort, but 
asked to be excused on account of lack of time. Arthur T. 
Hadley, president of Yale University, said: "I find it rather 
hard to make any individual selection of a text because there 
are a hundred, and even a thousand texts which meet the 
needs of different people and different circumstances." 

Lady Aberdeen replied: "I do not think it possible to 
answer your question as it is surely the case that special mes- 
sages are suited to special times, and that these vary very 
much according to circumstances, in every person's life. More- 
over, I regard such incidents as too private and sacred for 
use in the manner you suggest." 

Charles G. D. Roberts, the Canadian author, replied in 
the same strain, adding that he would not have one conclude 
that he held carelessly the incalculable influence which the 
literature of the Bible exerted upon him then and from his 
childhood. 

Lady Randolph Churchill doubted the usefulness of the 
method in creating interest in the Bible. John Kendrick 
Bangs, editor and humorist, expressed interest in seeing the 
favorite texts of others, -but had never settled upon a text for 
his favorite. 

Joseph Jefferson, the veteran actor, said in autograph let- 
ter that he did not care to express himself. And one of the 
leading novelists replied with gracious and sincere humility: 
"Because I am not worthy to be quoted in such connection, I 
have failed to respond to your request, yet it has not been 
forgotten, for I have a favorite chapter, and have had it for 
long years — the fourteenth of St. John." 



OP FAMOUS PEOPLE. 



259 




The Bible is the emblem of religious liberty and 
this bell the emblem of civil liberty— both closely 
associated. 



INDEX-NAMES. 



Abbott, Anstice 60 

Adams, Jane 138 

Adams, John Quincy. .253, 255 
Adler, Very Rev. Her- 
man, D. D 75 

A' Kempis, Thomas . .223, 249 

Alex, Bishop of Argyle.. 170 

Alden, I. M 24 

Alfred the Great Ill 

Alma-Tadema, Sir Law- 
rence 79 

Anderson, Thos. M 119 

Andronicus 85 

Angell, J. B 163 

Anthony, Susan B 128 

Arnold, Dr 246 

Arnold, Edwin 135 

Arnold, Matthew 245 

Aquinas, Thos 172 

Athenagoras 249 

Atkinson, G. W 90 

Austin, Alfred 38 

Babcock, Maltbie Daven- 
port 72 

Bacon, Francis 249, 256 

Baer, John Willis 169 

Bailey, Hannah J 163 

Baldwin, Ethel E 68 

Banks, Louis Albert 213 

Barney, Mrs. J. K 137 

Barnum, P. T 130 

Barrows, John Henry 217 

Barton, Clara 108 

Barton, James L 84 

Bashford, J. W 104 

Baskerville, Agnes E 161 

Baxter, Richard 161 

Beardslee, Rear Admiral 

L. A., U. S. N 126 

Bedell, Bishop 211 

Beecher, Henry Ward... 191 
Behrends, Dr. A. J. F.... 246 

Belknap, George E 68 

Bernard of Clairvaux,. ... 100 



Birney, Mrs. Theodore... 45 
Blackburn, Sen. J. C. S.. 170 

Blackie, Prof 246 

Bolton, Sarah K 81 

Bonnifield, M. S 105 

Bottome, Margaret 158 

Bourdalone 178 

Brady, John G 207 

Brainard, David 129 

Breckenridge, J. C 182 

Brewer, David J 129 

Brewitt, James C 109 

Bright, John 46 ' 

Brooks, Phillips 214 

Broughton, Len. G 107 

Brown, John 250 

Bryan, William Jennings. 52 

Bunyan, John 220 

Burdette, R. J 26 

Burns, Robert 247 

Burwick, Jim 151 

Butler, Benjamin F 84 

Butterworth, Hezekiah..32, 65 

Calvin, John 202 

Caledonia, Bishop of 219 

Cambon, Jules 132 

Canfield, James H 146 

Carlyle, Thomas 48, 106 

Carlyle, Mrs. Thomas 55 

Cary, William 46, 87 

Chalmers, Dr 210 

Chamberlain, Jacob, M.D., 

D. D 147 

Chant, Laura Ormiston... 100 

Chapman, J. Wilbur 152 

Charlton John 212 

'Chivers, E. E 203 

Clark, Francis E 165 

Cleveland, Grover 35 

Clews, Henry 46 

Clough, Mr. and 'Mrs 184 

Coke, Sir Edward 106 

Cole, James H 179 

Coleridge, Hartley 250 



INDEX-NAMES. 



261 



Columba of Scotland 63 

Columban 198 

Collyer, Robert 219 

Comstock, Anthony 89 

Conger, Wm, U. S. Min- 
ister to China 35 

Conky Stiles 19 

Converse, E. Crozat 77 

Conwell, Russell H 81 

Cook, David C 32 

Cook, Joseph 183, 210 

Corbin, H. C 78 

Cowper, William 123, 176 

Cranston, Earl 94 

Crafts, Wilbur F 110 

Crittenton, Charles N.... 87 

Cromwell 71 

Crosby, Fanny 84 

Cummings, Amos J 95 

Curtis, Mattoon M 142 

Cuyler, Theodore L 163 

Daly, Mrs. J. Fairley 119 

Dannecker 113 

De Arpinoe, M 102 

DeHart, Wm. H...., ...... 181 

De Lichterwald, Comte 

Gontran 38 

Dickinson, Mary Lowe... 166 

Dixon, A. C 199 

Dixon, D. D., A. C 174 

Dods, Marcus 103 

Dole, Sanford B 160 

Dryden, John 252 

Dudley, Rev. T. U 134 

Dunbar, Paul Lawrence.. 188 

Duncan, W. W 148 

Eddy, D. B 184 

Edmunds, Canon Walter 

J. 68 

Edward, the Black Prince 73 

Edwards, Jonathan 95 

Edwards, Harry Stillwell. 140 

Egle, William Henry 60 

Eliot, George 250 

Elizabeth, Queen 210 

Elwell, Frank Edwin 71 



English, Thomas Dunn... 37 

Estey, Julius J 153 

Fairfax, Sir Henry 95 

Fallows, Samuel 157 

Farquhar, N 60 

Farrar, Canon 91 

Farrar, Dean 27 

Farwell, John V 168 

Field, Cyrus 138 

Field, Eugene 19 

Fitzgerald, James N 105 

Fitzgerald, O. P 98 

Foss, Cyrus D 204 

Foss, Sam. Walter 79 

Fowler, C. H.... 174 

Francis of Assissi 121 

Franklin, Benjamin ...45, 255 

Franklin, S. R 105 

Frederick Wilhelm 1 203 

Gatling, Richard J 188 

George, Henry 190 

Gerhard, Paul 65 

Gibbons, Cardinal 187 

Gibbud, H. B 211 

Gillis, J. H 151 

Gilman, D. C 57 

Gladstone, Wm. E 84, 253 

Godkin, E. L 215 

Gompers, Samuel 127 

Goodsell, Daniel A 193 

Gordon, Anna A 104 

Gordon, A. J 192, 245 

Gordon, Charles George.. 204 

Gray, J. Gordon 216 

Greeley, Horace 53 

Greer, James A 215 

Grenada, Prince of 44 

Grey, Lady Jane 254 

Grosvenor, C. H 146 

Grow, Galusha A 128 

Guthrie, James 185 

Hadley, Henry H 99 

Hadley S. H 154 

Hale, Edward Everett.. 28, 114 

Hale, Sir Matthew 120 



262 



INDEX— NAMES. 



Hall, Chas. Cuthbert 139 

Hall, C. Stanley 156 

Hamlin, Cyrus 58 

Hamlin, Teunis S 146 

Harrison, Benjamin 28 

Hart, H. Martin 209 

Havemeyer, J. C 194 

Hawthorne, Nathaniel . . . 256 

Hemans, Felicia Dorothea 109 

Hendrix, Eugene R 182 

Henry, Patrick 251 

Herbert, George 252 

Herron, George D. ..... . 105 

Hiatt, Caspar W 214 

Higginson, Ella 107 

Hill, Rowland 215 

Hillis, Newell Dwight. ... 104 

Hoadley, James H 150 

Hogg, Quinton 133 

Howard, Bronson 215 

Howard, O. O... 216 

Howe, Julia Ward 206 

Howell, D 209 

Howell, Very Rev. David 34 

Howells, Wm. Dean 138 

Hughes, Hugh Price..... 86 

Hume, Mr 186 

Hunt, Holman 221 

Huss, John 139 

Huyler, John S 70 

Ingalls, John J 49 

James, Cornelia E 189 

Jefferson, President ...35, 253 

Johnson, Andrew 38 

Johnson, Dr. Samuel 254 

Johnson, Herrick 106 

Johnson, John 182 

Jones, James K 52 

Jones, Samuel M 101 

Jordan, David Starr 155 

Judson, Edward 164 

Junius, Francis 142 

Keg, Joseph S 47 

Keller, Harry 123 

Kent, late Duke of 138 



King Hamilton 154 

Knapp, Jacob 55 

Knox, John 169 

Lamb, Chas 203 

Lambuth, W. R 165 

Lark, William Blake 210 

Lee, Benj. F 112 

Lee, Fitzhugh 76 

Leffingwell, C. W 30 

Leland, Charles Godfrey.. 132 

Leonard, John W 105 

Lewis, James Hamilton... 179 

Lincoln, President 153 

Lind, Jenny 49 

Livermore, Mary A 187 

Locke, John 183 

Long, John D 59 

Longstreet, James 188 

Lorimer, George C 164 

Louis IX 219 

Lowell, James Russell.... 56 

Loyola, Ignatius 120 

Lubbock, Sir John 102 

Luther, Martin 150, 177 

MacAlpine, Geo. D 200 

MacCracken, Henry Mitchell 

107 

MacKaie, Hugh 223 

MacKenzie, Peter 221 

McCabe, Charles C. . . . . . 200 

McClure, James C. K.... 194 

McDowell, William O... 100 

McDowell, Wm. F 124 

McGregor, Tracy 181 

McKinley, Wm Ill 

McLaren, Duncan 144 

McPheeters, T. S 29 

McRae, Milton A 149 

Mabie, Henry C 178 

Maclaren, Ian 157 

Major, Charles 190 

Mallalieu 167 

March, F. A 99 

Marden, Orison Sweet. ... 66 

Markham, Edwin 92 



INDEX— NAMES. 



263 



Marsh, T. P 188 

Martyn, Henry 156, 170 

Mason, William E 110 

Massillon 105 

Mather, Cotton 55 

Maybury, William C 110 

Melancthon 39 

Merensky, A 180 

Merrill, Selah 145 

Merritt, W. 77 

Merry, William Lawrence 72 

Meyer, F. B 93 

Milburn, W. H 167 

Millais, J. G 79 

Miller, Hugh 250 

Miller, Joaquin 103 

Mills, B. Fay 131 

Mitchell, Donald G 127 

Mitchell, George W 168 

Mitchell, J. Murray 163 

Moffat, Dr 112 

Moody, D. L 35, 83 

Moody, W. R 217 

Morrison, H. C 71 

Morse, Prof 42 

Moule, H. C. G 92 

Moulton, Louise Chandler 102 

Mount, Geo. J. A.. 28 

Miiller, George 247, 248 

Murphey, Francis 100 

Murray, Andrew 194 

Nares, Sir G. S 114 

Newall, Wm. R. 29 

Newcomb, Simon 60 

Newton, Mr 161 

Nielson, Alice 184 

Nightingale, A. F 179 

Ninde, W. X 148 

Nordau, Dr. M 71 

Norton, Chas. Elliott 159 

Ormond, Duke of 40 

Osgood, Howard 30 

Otterbein, Phillip Wm... 138 

Page, Thomas Nelson.... 152 

Paine, Albert Bigelow.... 43 



Paine, Thomas 123 

Palma, T. Estrada 151 

Pansy 24 

Parker, E. W 159 

Parker, Edwin P 198 

Parker, Joseph 34 

Paulinus 107 

Payson, Dr 120 

Peffer, W. A 184 

Pemberton, Max 215 

Pentecost, Geo. F 199 

Phelan, James D 41 

Pierson, Arthur T 204 

Pitzer, A. W 203 

Potter, Bishop H. C 246 

Potts, James H 193 

Powell, W. T 60 

Purinton, D. B 166 

Raham Mahomed 134 

Raleigh, Walter 218-251 

Randolph, John 106 

Reade, Charles 196, 245 

Reed, Roland 99 

Rhodes, Cecil John 133 

Rice, Edmund 211 

Richards, H 140 

Ridley, Bishop 190 

Roseberry, Lord 34 

Rudisill, A. W 149 

Ruskin, John 32 

Rutherford, Samuel 51 

Salisbury, Lord 257 

Sample, Robt. F 132 

Sampson, Archibald J. . . . 164 

Sangster, Margaret 158 

Sankey, Ira D 153 

Savage, Richard Henry... 219 

Savonarola 220 

Schauffler, D. D 146 

Schley, W. S 27 

Schreiber, Dr. A 215 

Scott, Sir Walter 158, 253 

Scovel, Syl. F 28 

Selwyn, S. A 155 

Sewall, May Wright 192 

Shafter, Wm. R 4i 



£34 



INDEX-NAMES. 



Shattuck, Corinna 147 

Shaw, Albert D 203 

Sheldon, Charles M...... 170 

Sigsbee, Chas. D 127 

Simpson, Sir John 59 

Sloan, Samuel 34 

Smith, Henry C 199 

Smith, Robt. B 103 

Sousa, John Phillip 127 

Spencer, J. 146 

Spofford, Harriet Prescott 93 
Spurgeon, Chas. Haddon 

32, 209, 250, 254 

St. Augustine 63 

Stanley, Dean 155 

Stanley, Henry M 79 

Stebbins, Geo. C 222 

Stein, Jno. Ph 46 

Stevens, Lillian M. N.... 102 

Stevenson, Robt. Louis. . . 57 

Stiles, Conky 19 

Stock, Eugene 197 

Strong, Augustus H 93 

Sumner, G. W 57 

Swift, Dean 78 

Taylor, Howard 60 

Taylor, J. Hudson 123 

Tennyson 218 

Tesla, Nikola 38 

Thayer, J. Henry 188 

Thoburn, J. M 69 

Thompson, D. Croal 30 

Thwing, Chas. F 70 

Tolstoy, Count Leo 98 

Toplady, Augustus M 67 

Torrey, R. A 163 

Trumbull, H. Clay 208 

Tupper, Kerr Boyce 155 

Wanamaker, John 214 

Warner, Chas. Dudley 126 

Warner, Lucien C 103 

Warren, Henry W 159 

Warren, Sir Chas 57 

Watson, Dr. John 246 

Watson, J. C 73, 128 

Webb-Peploe, H. W 195 

Webster, Daniel ..74, 121, 255 



Welland, Thomas James.. 60 

Wellington, Frederick . . . 204 

Wellington, The Duke of. 124 

Wesley, John 

64, 67, 90, 217, 247 

Welsh, John 61 

Wharton, Anne Hollings- 

worth 166 

Whately, Archbishop .... 203 

Wheeler, Joseph 104 

Whewell, Dr 50 

Whipple, H. P 69 

Whitaker, O. W 53 

White, Andrew D 39 

Whitefield, Mr 135 

Whitman, B. L 148 

Whittle, Francis M 164 

Whittle, Major D. W 86 

Wilberforce, William .... 249 

Wilcox, Ella Wheeler.... 99 

Wildman, Rounceville ... 51 

Wilkes, Rev. Mark 201 

Wilkins, Mary E 201 

William II, Emperor of 

Germany 41 

Williams, Sir George 156 

Wilson, John M 185 

Wilson, Henry L 114 

Wilson, Margaret 182 

Wishart, Geo 72 

Wolsey, Sir Geo. K.C.B.. 65 

Wood, Sir Evelyn 74 

Wu Ting Fang 125 

Wyckoff, C. E 55 

Wyckoff, Walter A 122 

Wylie, David G 149 

Upcraft, W. M 177 

Ussher, Archbishop 159 

Van Dyke, Henry 142 

Xavier, Francis 120 

Yonge, Charlotte M 47 

Young, Egerton R 201 

Zangwill, Israel 71 

Zwemer, S. M 108 



GENERAL INDEX. 



"Abba Father" 124 

Acknowledge God 80 

Adolphus, Gustavus 66 

African king and Bible... 81 

All the way 85 

Atheism, saved from 106 

Authors of Bible, best 
known 176 

Barnum's essay 130 

Barnum and Spurgeon... 173 

Battle hymn 206 

Bell, Independence 42 

Bell in Parliament build- 
ings 52 

Bell, prayer 41 

Bells of Westminster 

Abbey 66 

Bible: 

Among Heathen 244 

Books in 44 

Bullet in 112 

Cardinal Manning's ... 238 

Chained 116 

Charlemagne's 234 

Curiosities in 44 

Chapters in 44 

Destruction of 18 

Empress of China 240 

Famous 233 

First American 235 

Gen. Gordon's 236 

Great men's opinions.. 

245, 257 

Largest in world ... 73 

Letters in 44 

Luther's 177 

On waters 240 

Queen Elizabeth's gift.. 238 

Stories of 233 

Thumb Bible 237 

Translations 242, 243 

Travels of a 237 

Verses in 44 

Victoria's coronation... 235 



Bible — Continued. 
Washington's mother's. 235 

Welsh girl's 239 

Words in 44 

Worth weight in gold.. 73 

Wounded 164 

"Big Ben's" message 52 

Blind Chaplain's favorite. 167 
Boer's head broken with a 

text 112 

Brother 98 

Cablegram 74 

Called by the Master 179 

Cathedral of Milan 193 

Care, Prayer, Peace 203 

Carey's famous sermon... 87 

Ceaseless prayer 135 

Cecil Rhodes' text 133 

Chapters in the Bible 44 

Chapters, one hundred; 

and pure gold 

224, 228, 229, 230 

Chinese hero 174 

Christ, statue of 113 

Christ's declarations 32 

Christ, testimony of en- 
emies and friends 114 

Christians conquer an armyl70 

Circus tent sermon 136 

"Cir-cum-spect-ly" 201 

Clara Barton in Cuba 108 

Columban's last day 198 

Comfortable words 30 

Concordance Stiles 19 

Confucius, golden rule.... 125 

Conquering an army 170 

Conscience, heathen 131 

Convicted king 178 

Conversion of Robert 

Sample 132 

Conversion of Otterbein.. 138 

Conversion of a scholar. . 142 
Coronation, heathen and 

Christian 129 



266 



GENERAL INDEX. 



Cromwell's army 81 

Curiosities in the Bible... 44 

Daughter of John Knox.. 6 J 

Dearest thing on earth... 35 

Despair of Cowper 176 

Devotion, Gladstone's ... 84 

Disappointment 129 

Diversity of Scripture 27 

Earthquake at Manila 206 

Emperor — preacher 41 

England's great statesmen 253 

Epitaph of a novelist 196 

Epitaph of Franklin 144 

Epitaph of Webster 121 

Every knee shall bow 203 

Expect, attempt 87 

Experience of Webb-Pep- 
loe 195 

Faith laid the cable 136 

Family concordance 187 

Field, Eugene 19 

First message 42 

Florence Mission, San 

Jose 88 

Franklin's use of a text. . . 143 

"Gangin' another way"... 162 
Garfield and Romans 8... 180 
Gift to grandchild, 

Moody's 35 

Gift, a great 98 

God and sinners 86 

Gospel, social 92, 97 

Gospel and the world 105 

Golden Rule 101 

Golden Rule, Chinese and 

Christian 125 

Grace is 195 

Grant's message to Sun- 
day School scholars.... 77 
Great men's opinions of 

the Bible 245, 257 

Grenada, prince of 44 

Guide for young men 34 



Habakkuk 45 

Heart of Africa 80 

Heathen and angels 80 

Heaven on earth 108 

Henry George and the 

Cardinal 190 

His pillow for Jesus 130 

Hymn writer's texts 84 

Identified with 138 

Infidel's investment 168 

Influence of sermon on 

Joseph Cook 184 

Influence of scripture on 

Ruskin 32 

Influence of texts 85 

Inspiration of Bible — 

Spurgeon 33 

"Inasmuch," children's 

traveling card 117 

Jesus as a guest 116 

Job 48 

John 141 

Joseph and Brethren 40 

Joseph and the Chief But- 
ler 40 

Kindergarten text scheme. 189 

King, preaching to 105 

King, faith of a Ill 

Kings, Chinese Gordon's. 205 

Landlord's wife, story of. . 95 
Life and morals of Jesus 

of Nazareth 35 

Life saved by Psalm 119. . 72 

Life, rule of 124 

Light of nature 186 

Lincoln and Speed 154 

Literal text 131 

Literature, Bible as 39 

Lord's prayer 106 

Lord's prayer — Carlyle... 106 

Lord Shaftesbury's ideal.. 78 

Love and hate 183 

Loyola and Xavier 120 

Luke 125 



GENERAL INDEX. 



267 



Marching orders 124 

Mark's gospel 118 

Marseillaise of the Re- 
formation 66 

Martyrs for the faith 61, 62 

Melancthon, call of 39 

Memorizing Bible 19 

Merchant prince's text 168 

Missing sword 202 

Missionary heroism 68 

Mob quelled 148 

Modern prodigal 88 

"" Moment by moment 87 

Mother, Grover Cleve- 
land's 35 

Mother's psalm 59 

Mother, Ruskin's 32 

Morse, Prof 42 

Motto, Moody's 83 

My grace is 195 

Nature in Bible 38 

Need of Christ 166 

Need of Church 171 

Notes, expository 64 

Opinions of great men, 

Bible 245, 247 

Passion for preaching 167 

Paul's two men.., 178 

Peace 109 

Peace making poet 99 

Pentateuch 37 

Perplexities 29 

Persian's conversion 134 

Phonograph 92 

Power of gospel 147 

Powerful words 115 

Prayer, a time saver 120 

Prayer, ceaseless 135 

Prayer meeting 25 

Prayer, Stevenson's 57 

Praying in crises 84 

Prescriptions, scriptural . . 232 

President's prayer habits.. Ill 

Princess Alice's motto 81 

Promise 94 



Proposed Jubilee proces- 
sion 136 

Psalm 100 70 

Psalm 23rd 58 

Psalm for the dying 58 

Psalm, Cromwell's 34 

Psalms 54 

Psalms 121 and 135 56 

Purity, apostle 89 

Quick reply 92 

Railroad engineer's gospel 157. 
Remonstrance, the mar- 
tyr's 55 

Resurrected text 68 

Riches of church 172 

Ruskin and Spurgeon.... 191 
Ruth 45 

Scepticism 56 

Scotchmen and Job 48 

Scotland's last martyr. . . . 183 

Scott in Bible 17 

Scrap-book, Jefferson 35 

Sermon on the Mount 40 

Sermon, short, charity 78 

Sermon that slumbered 85 

years 192 

Shakespeare in the Bible. 17 

Shortest sermon 50 

Shunamite's reply 46 

Social gospel 97 

Stanley's experience 79 

Stiles, Conky 19 

Success of kingdom 35 

"Suffer little children".... 113 

Sympathy, Christ's 119 

Telegraph, invention of... 42 

Temperance -sermon 78 

Temptation 28, 29 

Testimony, Gladstone's . . 92 
Text: 

Resurrected, woman's... 68 

For a code 74 

Committing 208 

From heaven 209 



268 



GENERAL INDEX. 



Text — Continued. 

Nearest north pole 82 

One hundred 91 

For besieged 91 

Around the world 91 

A $50,000 113 

On baking day 165 

In the Transvaal 181 

Testimony 25 

The sin bearer 34 

Tolstoy, Count, and the 

beggar . 98 

Too good to believe 149 

Treasures 107 

Twain Mark 23 



Verified text 119 

Verses in the Bible 44 

Wesley's last sermon 91 

What think you 114 

Whiter than snow 82 

World, God's plan for the 35 

Words in the Bible 44 

Words of power 115 

Word: 

Bread of life 242 

Power to move men . . . 242 

Power to speak 241 

Wyckoff and the lumber- 
man 122 



SCRIPTURAL INDEX. 



Genesis 1:1 38 

Genesis 1:3 38 

Genesis 1:28.. 38 

Genesis 3:7 39 

Genesis 12:1 39 

Genesis 40:23 41 

Exodus 17:11 41 

Exodus 20:12 42 

Leviticus 25:10 42 

Numbers 23:23 43 

Deuteronomy 4: 29.28, 114, 151 

Joshua 1:9 45 

Joshua 1:5 214 

Ruth 45 

I Kings 19:20-21 

II Kings 20:11 46 

II Kings 4:13 46 

II Kings 6:17 46 

II Kings 7:2 46 

I Chron. 29:11 47 

II Chron. 16:9 47 

Nehemiah 8:10 47 

Job 19:25 49 

Job 5:7 50 

Job 20:5 51 

Job 11:17 51 

Job 13:15 51 

Job 14:14.. 52 

Job 19:25-27 52, 53 

Job 34:29 53 

Psalms 1:3 55 

Psalms 2:10-11 55 

Psalms 5:3 55 

Psalms 6:2-3 55 

Psalms 9:17 56 

Psalms 14:1 56 

Psalms 15 57 

Psalms 17:8 57 

Psalms 19 57 

Psalms 20 58 

Psalms 23.... 58, 59, 60, 61, 159 

Psalms 24: 1 62 

Psalms 27:1 155 

Psalms 31:5 62 

Psalms 34 63 



Psalms 34:3 64 

Psalms 37:3 65 

Psalms 37:5 65 

Psalms 37:31 66 

Psalms 42:1 66 

Psalms 46 66, 159, 166 

Psalms 46:11 67 

Psalms 51:7 82 

Psalms 55:6 67 

Psalms 62:5 68 

Psalms 68:11 68 

Psalms 71:16 68 

Psalms 72 159 

Psalms 90 68, 71 

Psalms 91:14-15-16 69 

Psalms 93:1 69 

Psalms 100 70, 159 

Psalms 103:14 70, 71 

Psalms 117 71 

Psalms 118:24 72 

Psalms 119 72, 73 

Psalms 121 56, 73 

Psalms 124:7 74 

Psalms 135 56 

Psalms 140:7 75 

Psalms 143:8 75 

Psalms 147:3 169 

Proverbs 4:23 76 

Proverbs 14:34 76 

Proverbs 18:24 77 

Proverbs 19:17 78 

Proverbs 20:1 78 

Proverbs 22:1 78 

Proverbs 31 78 

Ecclesiastes 3: 11 79 

Ecclesiastes 9:10 79, 81 

Ecclesiastes 11:9 81 

Ecclesiastes 11 82 

Ecclesiastes 12:1 82 

Isaiah 50:7 83 

Isaiah 35:10 84, 128, 153 

Isaiah 26:3 84 

Isaiah 28:29 222 

Isaiah 41:3 83 

Isaiah 41:10 89 



270 



SCRIPTURAL INDEX. 



Isaiah 41:13 85 

Isaiah 42:3 85 

Isaiah 43:25 86 

Isaiah 44:22 86 

Isaiah 54:2-3 87 

Isaiah 53:5-6 87 

Isaiah 53-55 147 

Isaiah 54:17 89 

Isaiah 55 90 

Isaiah 58:13 92 

Isaiah 65:24 93 

Isaiah 65 179 

Jeremiah 1 93 

Jeremiah 1:7 242 

Jeremiah 33:3 93 

Habakkuk 1:12 94 

Habakkuk 2:15 78 

Habakkuk 3 45 

Zechariah 8:5 94 

Micah 6:8 40, 94, 95 

Amos 7:8 95 

Malachi 2:6 95 

Matthew 4:4 242 

Matthew 5:4 105 

Matthew 5, 6, 7 167 

Matthew 5:8 99, 105 

Matthew 5:9 99 

Matthew 5:43-48 105 

Matthew 6:10 100, 106 

Matthew 6:9-13 105, 106 

Matthew 6:20 98, 107 

Matthew 6:33 98, 99, 107 

Matthew 6:19 34, 149 

Matthew 7:1 108 

Matthew 7:7 108 

Matthew 7:12 108 

Matthew 8:27 124 

Matthew 11: 28-30.... 109, 110 

Matthew 11:29 109 

Matthew 12:6 Ill 

Matthew 14:21 Ill 

Matthew 13:46 Ill 

Matthew 15:27 112 

Matthew 18:14 112 

Matthew 19:14 113 

Matthew 20: 20-28 113 

Matthew 21:22 113 

Matthew 22:37, 39 28, 114 



Matthew 23:8 98 

Matthew 22:42 115 

Matthew 24:35 115, 116 

Matthew 25:33 116 

Matthew 28:20 R. V 174 

Matthew 25:41-43 117 

Matthew 25:40 117 

Mark 118 

Mark 8:23 119 

Mark 8:36 119 

Mark 1:35 120 

Mark 8:36 120 

Mark 9:24 121 

Mark 9:42 156 

Mark 10:21 121 

Mark 10:45 122 

Mark 11:21-22 123 

Mark 11:22 123 

Mark 12:30-31 123, 124 

Mark 14:36 124 

Mark 16:15 124, 140 

Luke 6:31 127 

Luke 2:11 128 

Luke 2:10 129 

Luke 2:14 129 

Luke 2:29 129 130 

Luke 9:58 130 

Luke 10:42 130 

Luke 6:30 131 

Luke 6:37 38, 132 

Luke 6:37, 41 132 

Luke 11:9 132 

Luke 14:18 133 

Luke 14:31 134 

Luke 15 134 

Luke 15:7 134 

Luke 15:25-30 135 

Luke 18:1 135 

Luke 18:13 145 

Luke 18:13-14 136 

Luke 19:10 

136, 137, 138, 139, 155 

Luke 23:34 140 

Luke 23:46-47 139 

Luke 24:13-35 140 

Luke 24:49 140 

John 1:1 142 

John 1 143 



SCRIPTURAL INDEX. 



271 



John 3:16 140, 146, 

147, 148, 149, 168, 179, 181 

John 4:21-23 151 

John 5:39 151 

John 6:37 152 

John 5:24 152 

John 6:37 152 

John 6 153 

John 6:37 153, 196 

John 6:47 153 

John 7:17 154, 155 

John 9:4 154 

John 9:25 155 

John 6:57 155 

John 10:10 155 

John 10: 16 155 

John 10:28 155 

John 10:27-30 156 

John 12 156 

John 12:24 156 

John 12:32 158 

John 13:34 159 

John 13:1 159 

John 13:14 159 

John 13:34-35 144 

John 13:34 160 

John 14 158 

John 14:1-4 158, 164, 194 

John 14:6 169 

John 14:16 157 

John 14:17 146 

John 14:4-6 163 

John 14:23 163 

John 14-15-16 

...147, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167 

John 14:26 161 

John 14:27 146, 160, 161 

John 15:5-7 166 

John 15:20 167 



John 16:' 



47 



John 17 168, 169 



John 17-4 



John 18 
John 18 
John 19 
John 20 
John 21 
John 21 



36 
22 
30 
21 

3 . 
22 



104 
170 
170 
170 
138 
21 
171 



Acts 3:6 172 

Acts 7:55-56 173 

Acts 7:59 173 

Acts 13:10 174 

Acts 16:31 174 

Acts 20:24 175 

Acts 27:29 175 

Romans 3:25 177 

Romans 3:28 177 

Romans 5:8 169, 177 

Romans 7:19-25 178 

Romans 8 179 

Romans 8:18-19 166 

Romans 8:26 53 

Romans 8:24-25 178 

Romans 8:28 29, 133, 178 

Romans 8:38-39 180 

Romans 8: 14-18-31-37 ... 181 

Romans 8:32 181 

Romans 8:10 182 

Romans 8:26-27 « 182 

Romans 8:35-39 182, 183 

Romans 9: 13 183 

Romans 9:23 200 

Romans 10:9-10 80 

Romans 11:33 183 

Romans 12 149 

Romans 12:1 183 

Romans 12:2 184 

Romans 12: 17 184 

Romans 13:8 184 

Romans 13:10 159 

Romans 14:7 169 

Romans 16:12 22 

I Cor. 1:26-31 185 

I Cor. 1:30 185 

I Cor. 2:9 90 

I Cor. 13 147, 187, 188, 199 

I Cor. 3:18 186 

I Cor. 13:12 191 

I Cor. 15:36 191 

I Cor. 15:16 166 

I Cor. 15:51 191 

I Cor. 15:41 192 

I Cor. 15:54-57 192 

I Cor. 16:22 192 

II Cor. 4:17-18 193 

II Cor. 5:1 193 



272 



SCRIPTURAL INDEX. 



II 
II 
II 
II 
II 
II 
II 
II 
II 



155 

193 

194 

243 

194 

197 

195 

..... 196 

Cor. 12:10 197 



Cor. 5:17.... 

Cor. 8-9 

Cor. 
Cor. 
Cor. 
Cor. 
Cor. 



12.. 

10.. 
9:8... 
12:1.. 
12:9.. 



Cor. 12:1-4. 



.179, 

.28, 



.17, 



198 
114 
199 
199 

200 
200 
200 
200 
201 
201 
202 



Galatians 2:20 
Galatians 6:2. 
Galatians 6:7 
Ephesians 1: 3 
Ephesians 1: 7 
Ephesians 2 . . 
Ephesians 2: 10 
Ephesians 2: 13 
Ephesians 3: 8 
Ephesians 4: 13 
Ephesians 5: 15 

Ephesians 6 147 

Ephesians 6:17 202 

Philippians 1:21 202 

Philippians 2 200 

Philippians 2:7 138 

Philippians 1:21 203 

Philippians 3:3 29 

Philippians 2:10-11 203 

Philippians 3:13 28, 114 

Philippians 3:21 203 

Philippians 4 147 

Philippians 4:6-7 203 

Philippians 4:9 204 

Philippians 4:11 204 

Philippians 4: 13 ..204 

Philippians 4: 19 204 

Colossians 1:9 205 

Oolossians 1:18-19 159 



I Thessalonians 4:16.... 206 

I Thessalonians 5:23 148 

II Thessalonians 2:8..... 206 
II Thessalonians 3:10.... 207 

I Timothy 1:15 209 

II Timothy 1:6 210 

II Timothy 2:9 210 

II Timothy 4:2 87, 211 

II Timothy 4:7 211, 212 

Hebrews 1:14 214 

Hebrews 2:11 77 

Hebrews 11:6 214 

Hebrews 11:4 167 

Hebrews 11:24, 25, 26.... 213 

Hebrews 12:22 

Hebrews 13:5 214 

Hebrews 13:14 215 

James 1: 19 215 

James 1:27 215 

James 1:26, 27 215 

I Peter 3:13 216 

II Peter 1:11 216 

I John 1:7 217 

I John 1:9 217 

I John 2:1 196 

I John 2:17 218 

I John 2:1 218 

I John 3:7 146 

I John 4:7 r. 218 

I John 4:8 146 

I John 4:19 220 

I John 5:12 157 

Revelation 3:8 169 

Revelation 3:20 221 

Revelation 5:9 222 

Revelation 21:4 222 

Revelation 21:6 223 

Revelation 22:3 '. 223 



JQV 241900 



Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: May 2005 

PreservationTechnologies 

A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 

1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Township. PA 16066 
(724)779-2111 



